2023-05-20 17:56:00
Published on May 20, 2023 at 8:56 p.m.
Will we soon see a new space cleaning market? This is the objective of the European Space Agency (ESA) and ClearSpacea Swiss company specializing in the destruction of space debris.
A first test mission in 2026
The launch, scheduled for the second half of 2026, will be carried out by the small European VEGA C launcher. On board, it will carry an articulated robot responsible for capturing an identified debris of 112 kg. The latter was left by ESA in a phase-out orbit and, in accordance with space debris mitigation regulations, it is assumed to fall back into the atmosphere within a maximum of 25 years.
The maneuver to deorbit it already looks complicated. Indeed, the space debris does not have attachment points and turns on itself. Numerous tests and simulations will be carried out before the official launch of the mission.
If the robot’s arms manage to capture the debris, it will then force it out of orbit and into Earth’s atmosphere where it will spontaneously burn up.
Photo : ClearSpace
Space gets very crowded
To ensure the proper functioning of satellites around the Earth, the need to clean certain orbits is unavoidable.
There are currently more than 34,000 pieces of space debris larger than 10 cm in orbit around the Earth. 6,500 satellites are in operation and the number is expected to exceed 27,000 by 2030.
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