For Immediate Release
25 May, 2022
(Houston) Nobu Okada, Founder and CEO of Astroscale, has been named Honorary Chair of World Space Week (WSW) 2022,. As Chair, Okada will encourage global support for this year’s WSW celebration, held 4-10 October, and for World Space Week Association, which globally coordinates the event.
“Nobu Okada and Astroscale epitomize the WSW 2022 theme of ‘Space and Sustainability,’” said WSW Association President Dennis Stone. “Since he and his company are champions of protecting the space environment and using space to sustain Earth, we are excited to welcome Mr. Okada to this position,” Stone said.
“Space sustainability is what drives me and the Astroscale team each and every day, so I am very excited by this year’s WSW theme and to champion the celebration as Honorary Chair,” said Okada. “This year’s theme is critical for two reasons. First, space technologies will play a key role in achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, and second, we are at a point where near-miss events in orbit highlight the growing costs to satellite operators and the very real risk of a collision threatens the potential of the burgeoning space economy. We are making great progress as global community, and I look forward to raising more awareness and celebrating space sustainability.”
The UN-declared World Space Week, October 4-10 annually, is the largest space event on Earth. Last year it was celebrated in over 90 countries with over 6,400 events and earned over 700,000,000 Twitter impressions. Events are held primarily by space-related organizations and schools.
A highly respected and influential figure in the space industry, Okada is the International Astronautical Federation’s Vice President for Space Economy and Sponsorship, member of the International Academy of Astronautics, member of the Space Generation Advisory Council Advisory Board, and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
Okada was co-chair of the World Economic Forum Council Global Future Council on Space Technologies until 2021 and played a key role in developing the concept of a Space Sustainability Rating, a system designed to ensure long-term sustainability by encouraging responsible behavior among countries and companies participating in space.
Since founding Astroscale, Okada has received numerous awards and accolades, including 2022 TIME100 Most Influential Companies, 2021 Satellite Technology of the Year, SpaceNews Company Leader of the Year, UNESCO Netexplo Innovation Forum 2020 Grand Prix, Forbes JAPAN “Start-up of The Year 2019”, and World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer in 2017.
For information about this year’s celebration of World Space Week, visit www.worldspaceweek.org or follow #WSW2022 on social media.
About Astroscale
Founded in 2013, Astroscale is developing innovative and scalable solutions across the spectrum of on-orbit servicing, including life extension, in situ space situational awareness, end of life, and active debris removal, to create sustainable space systems and mitigate the growing and hazardous buildup of debris in space. Astroscale is also defining business cases and working with government and commercial stakeholders to develop norms, regulations, and incentives for the responsible use of space. Learn more at astroscale.com.
About World Space Week
The largest space event on Earth, UN-declared World Space Week is celebrated October 4-10 annually. It is an international celebration of the contribution of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition. World Space Week consists of a myriad of space-related events held by space agencies, aerospace companies, schools, planetaria, museums, astronomy clubs, and others in a common timeframe to achieve greater student and public impact through synchronization.
About World Space Week Association
World Space Week Association is the global coordinator of World Space Week. A volunteer-led, international non-government, non-profit organization, the Association is a permanent observer on the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. It is supported by voluntary contributions of sponsors including Astroscale, Lockheed Martin, Jacobs, SES, SpaceX, Silhouette, ASRC Federal, ULA, Collins Aerospace, Airbus, and Oceaneering. The Association, founded in 1982, is one of the world’s oldest space advocacy organizations.
Media Contact
Astroscale:
Alison Howlett, a.howlett@astroscale.com
World Space Week Association:
Maruška Strah, mstrah@worldspaceweek.org, phone +39 392 517 41 89