Earth’s first space debris removal mission

ESA has signed an €86 million contract with an industrial team led by Swiss start-up ClearSpace SA to purchase a unique service: the first-ever removal of an item of space debris from orbit.

As a result, in 2025, ClearSpace will launch the first active debris removal mission, ClearSpace-1, which will rendezvous, capture and take down for reentry the upper part of a Vespa (Vega Secondary Payload Adapter) used with Europe’s Vega launcher. This object was left in an approximately 801 km by 664 km-altitude gradual disposal orbit, complying with space debris mitigation regulations, following the second flight of Vega back in 2013.

#ESA
#SpaceDebris
#ClearSpace1

[kristydevi]

Great incentive to address an important issue that is being ignored ..👏🗺🛰🚀

[mekkthemighty]

We're gonna need hundreds of these to clean it all up

[Geark]

Robotic tentacles? Did you mean THE SPACE CLAW

[Lukas]

This also makes Europe the first to be capable of taking down hostile satellites without creating a big mess. Good to know we have options!

[squeaksquawk]

This sound amasing! Now you need to work out how to do it without sacrificing the CleanSpace satelite. I have confidence though. Go ESA!

[IanZainea]

This is awesome! However, curious that the pair burn up together. I guess this maintains maximum control which is ideal, but it seems like the Clearspace vehicle could redirect the debris and "push" it into the atmosphere and then back off prior to re-entry so it can go find some more debris to also de-orbit. Again, I totally get that it is safer and more controlled to have them burn up as a pair, just seems awfully expensive to do this way.

[kornelszubzda]

Ohhh, they're gonna die together holding eachother. That's a good love story. But seriously, this is great.

[enoughmonster]

Space is so magical. I cant get enough. I have videos in a playlist on repeat. Even watch it sometimes and listen to music I like imagine me travel the space fast feel driving the racing car with rokk music deltaparole tool foofighters nirvana and other.

[johnhunt]

I say it's about time for doing this!! Fantastic!!

[SteveJB]

This is so much better than the harpoon models proposed.

[lololoershadow]

Look at all these rocket scientists in the comments. Knowing so much about "throwing things" in space by other things!

[ChandanDas-isbo]

Wow superb. Great job for ESA keep it up....and very very thank you.

[Pedrok]

About time maybe this might be a commercial business in the near future

[mariadaluzmoutinho]

Congratulo a ESA por este sistema inovador e incrível!! Menos lixo e um espaço mais limpo...ideias.geniais fazem o sucesso...Gosto muito do logotipo da ESA!!

[rispruffcuts]

We're gonna need hundreds of these to clean it all up (just focus on producing that smart cleaning probes and space x will bring bundles of them up to the orbit safely) (like their starlink missions)

[RafaelFyen]

"I'm taking me with you!"

[Ry_TSG]

Does the Vega rocket not produce any debris of its own?

[Felaex]

I hope you use multi-use-rockets, like spaceX, for shooting those up.. If not it would be a real costy mission for no reason. The technology is there, please use it.

[cyn_]

Thanks esa, this is really interesting to watch!

[NoSTs]

What program was used to simulate the orbital motion?
Is it public available?
If not can you please make an exception for me?