Dark, a French startup focused on crafting air-launched spacecraft tech for capturing and disposing of orbital objects, has ceased operations. The company cited the difficulty in establishing a viable business model as the primary reason for the shutdown, according to an announcement this week. Based in Paris, the four-year-old firm stated that the decision was made by its founders and board after years of dedicated work on technology aimed at tackling space debris and potential security risks in orbit. "This difficult decision, taken by the founders and the board after years of dedication, was ultimately a necessary one," the company conveyed in a statement.
Dark was established by veterans from European defense contractors, including MBDA and Thales, with the aspiration of demonstrating a space weapon system. This system would involve launching from a modified commercial aircraft, navigating to orbital targets, capturing them, and ultimately depositing them in the South Pacific Ocean. The company successfully raised approximately $11 million in venture funding.
The startup aimed to position France as a leader in space defense capabilities, recognizing the increasing importance of space as a crucial domain for national security. "We embraced the doctrinal shift that placed space at the heart of defense strategy and set out to position France at the forefront of this frontier," Dark stated. "Our ambition was to anchor a private capability that would both strengthen national security and generate economic and diplomatic value through export."
However, the company acknowledged that the necessary conditions to advance its vision "never materialized for us in France." "As we step aside, we believe and hope that France will secure access to these critical space-defense capabilities, whether through European partners or transatlantic allies," the company concluded.