The ESA expects to launch the ClearSpace-1 mission in 2025, which uses a four-armed claw to capture the VESPA and bring it down to a lower orbit. Afterward, the claw and space debris are expected to burn-up in the Earth’s atmosphere. (Image Credit: ClearSpace SA/European Space Agency)
The ESA has awarded a €86 million contract to ClearSpace SA, a Switzerland-based startup, which aims to launch a mission in 2025 to capture and remove a piece of space debris. While the ESA provides expertise and funding, ClearSpace is responsible for performing the engineering and design work. It’s also expected to collect more funds for this mission from commercial investors.
Starting in 1957, humans have launched thousands of objects into the Earth’s orbit. Currently, there are 2,800 active and an estimated 3,000 dead satellites, along with 900,000 pieces of space junk less than 10 centimeters long in the Earth’s orbit. It would be disastrous if the debris collided with a crewed spacecraft or a live satellite.
Launch operators don’t intend on cluttering up the space around Earth. However, booster engines, dead satellites, and small pieces of machinery stay in orbit after their useful life. Some of these objects naturally de-orbit, but the problem persists since space debris is constantly increasing.
The ClearSpace-1 mission involves homing in on a VESPA (Vega Secondary Payload Adapter), grabbing it with a four-armed claw, and bringing it down to a lower orbit. Then, the claw and space debris burn-up in the Earth’s atmosphere. Cleaning up the space junk orbiting the Earth would require a lot of claws, but this is just an early test. If this mission succeeds, ClearSpace could improve the claw’s design to capture space junk more efficiently.
The mission’s target, VESPA, has been orbiting 400-miles above the Earth since 2013 when it helped launch a Vega rocket. This object, weighing 112 kg, was selected by the team because of its well-known orbit and composition, and it’s nearly the same size as a small satellite.
ClearSpace’s solution to removing space junk could be a viable one, but something still needs to be done about the problem. Space becomes more dangerous as it gets cluttered with debris. Scientists are also worried that a chain reaction of space collisions, known as the Kessler effect, could occur, causing the space around Earth to be unusable for years.
This isn't the first space debris collection effort. Read about more in these links:
Slowing space junk to clean orbiting space, Ballistic Clouds
Space cleanup crew
Titanium harpoon passes experiment to help clean up debris orbiting Earth
DARPA looks to implement ‘neighborhood watch’ to gain a handle on space debris
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