Satellites are essential to modern infrastructure, but their remote nature makes them susceptible to technical malfunctions and potential attacks. London-based startup Lodestar aims to address this vulnerability with a pioneering “first responder” service in space, employing sophisticated robotic sentries.
Unlike some of its competitors, Lodestar isn’t building the entire robotic hardware. Instead, the company focuses on a platform-agnostic robotics system, beginning with a versatile robotic arm designed to inspect and repair satellites in orbit.
Founded just 18 months ago by engineers Thomas Santini and Neil Buchanan, Lodestar emerged from the Entrepreneur First incubator, which supports founders in forming startups. Initially, the pair explored 3D printing in space but quickly recognised that the market wasn’t ready and that terrestrial 3D printers weren’t suitable for space conditions. This realisation led them to pivot towards developing robotic systems that could offer commercial and defence services in space.
Lodestar has raised US$2.5 million through a combination of non-dilutive funding from the UK Space Agency and a pre-seed round led by Inflection and Lunar Ventures with contributions from angel investors. The team, currently comprising eight members, includes advisors such as former SpaceX VP and ThinkOrbital CEO Lee Rosen and former Spaceflight CEO Curt Blake.
The company recently completed zero-gravity tests of its electrical, mechanical and vision systems in collaboration with MIT and The Aurelia Institute. They aim to demonstrate their robotic arm’s capabilities in orbit by the end of 2025, starting with tasks such as grabbing and releasing a target object within two metres.
Lodestar envisions a highly adaptable system, akin to a utility belt, allowing the robotic arm to switch between various end effectors or even refuelling interfaces. Santini explained that the goal is to enable the inspection, protection and repair of high-value assets in space on a scalable basis. As the space industry advances, such autonomous interaction technologies will become fundamental.
With support from the UK Space Agency, Lodestar is developing a flight-ready model of its robotic arm – set to fly as a hosted payload on a partner space tug next year. The company also plans to expand to the US, aiming to attract attention from the Department of Defence.
Despite its international ambitions, Lodestar acknowledges strong interest from the UK government in indigenous capabilities for inspecting and repairing critical space assets.
