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The mission is led by the Swiss company ClearSpace but companies from Germany, Sweden, Poland, United Kingdom, Romania, Czech Republic and the Portuguese Critical Software and Demios participate, for a total value of 100 million euros.
The goal for 2025 is to go into orbital space and bring a cone-shaped piece with 112 kilos and the size of a small satellite (two meters in diameter and 1.6 meters high), just one of about 28 thousand. debris left around the Earth after thousands of space launches.
A remote controlled vehicle will be launched and guided from Earth until it reaches the Vespa, which was in orbit after the launch of a Veja rocket in 2013 between 664 and 801 kilometers of altitude.
Then, with the help of four robotic arms, the interception vehicle will grab the debris and, using its propulsion, descend in a controlled manner, causing both of them to disintegrate harmlessly in the atmosphere.
The problem of space debris in Earth’s orbit is recognized by the European Space Agency as a growing threat that could destroy a satellite or other spacecraft in the event of a collision.
“In 2019, satellites operated by the agency had to be maneuvered to avoid debris 21 times, which has already happened 12 times this year,” according to a statement.
Even if there was never a space launch again, space debris would continue to grow due to collisions that would create even more debris.
In the future, the Agency hopes that the technology of this type of mission will evolve to allow the elimination of several debris simultaneously without having to destroy the vehicle it intercepts as well.
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