French startup Dark, which developed technologies for launching spacecraft from the air to capture and dispose of objects in orbit, went out of business after unsuccessful attempts to create a viable business model, the company said this week.
Founded in Paris four years ago, the company reported, that the decision to close the founders and the Board of Directors after several years of technology development, aimed at combating space debris and potential security threats in orbit.
Dark was created by defense contractors MBDA and Thales to demonstrate a space capture system, capable of being launched from a modified commercial aircraft, go to orbital targets, capture them and deliver them to Earth.
The purpose of Dark was to strengthen the position of France in the field of space defense, as military doctrine increasingly views space as a key component of national security. The startup sought to create a private technology capability, which would simultaneously strengthen the country's defense and provide economic and diplomatic benefits through exports.
However, the company noted, that the necessary conditions for the development of this concept in France were not created.
Dark emphasized, which hopes to further develop France's space defense capabilities, in particular in cooperation with European or transatlantic partners.
Source: https://spacenews.com