Our planet is surrounded by an ever-increasing cloud of obsolete satellites and other waste materials. Even the smallest pieces of debris pose a threat to spacecraft and the satellites the modern world relies on. To continue using space technologies, scientists developed cost-effective ways of cleaning up space.
A consortium of companies and research organisations developed the first low-cost mission to demonstrate, in orbit, key technologies for active debris removal. The experimental satellite they designed was equipped with a net system to capture and trap debris, a harpoon to capture a specific target, and a drag sail that was used to de-orbit the satellite at the end of the mission.
The space mission included two small satellites – known as ‘CubeSats’ – as artificial targets.
They were released from the main satellite, and then successfully recaptured using the net and harpoon. Careful monitoring throughout the mission, which launched in June 2018, provided input for further development and fine-tuning of the technology.
The opportunity to test these technologies in a real space environment was invaluable, allowing scientists to better understand the challenges involved and make improvements for the future. The drag sail element, for example, did not deploy exactly as planned. However, with further development and fine-tuning, the technology was improved.
It has since been commercialised and used successfully in real-life missions.
The project also attracted significant media attention, which has helped to raise public awareness of space junk. This attention could help to create momentum towards the delivery of more missions to remove some of the large pieces of debris currently orbiting the Earth.
Cleaning up this problematic space junk is key to ensuring our continued, sustainable, use of space technologies.