Space Junk Removal Outfit Nears Demo Launch

The Observer reports:

Astroscale is a space sustainability company headquartered in Tokyo that is committed to creating solutions for removing potentially dangerous space junk. As space tourism missions to the ISS (International Space Station) become more prevalent, even more attention will have to be paid to orbital highways to ensure their maintenance and cleanliness. It’s more than a courtesy, it’s a matter of space safety.

Even without private space tours, the prevalence of space junk and the risk of collisions have skyrocketed with the emergence of SpaceX, OneWeb, and other companies that send thousands of rockets into LEO. The company’s End-of-Life Services demonstration (ELSA-d) mission, launching in less than two months, seeks to exhibit the company’s ability to capably and safely find, dock with, and remove orbital debris.

Read the full article.

Space is Getting Very Messy With Satellites and Rockets. This Company Aims to Fix It. https://t.co/a7UFq9Mvsi pic.twitter.com/SUZUwK5fiL

— OBSERVER (@observer) February 16, 2021