Debris

Satellites could have a longer life and space become a bit tidier if Starfish Space's Otter Pup 2 mission pans out. Scheduled to launch later this year, it aims to demonstrate how a small craft can dock with unprepared satellites for service or disposal.

Private orbital debris removal company Astroscale has demonstrated its magnetic capture system that is designed to tackle the problem of space junk, with its ELSA-d servicer satellite managing to capture a simulated piece of space debris in orbit.

Debris orbiting in high Earth orbit is not being tracked closely enough, according to the results of a new survey, and could pose an unexpected threat to important satellites that provide communication, weather observation and navigation services.

DirecTV has been granted permission by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to send a damaged communications satellite in danger of exploding due to its severely damaged batteries into an emergency disposal trajectory.

ESA has commissioned the world's first mission to recover a piece of space debris in orbit. At the end of November, the Ministerial Council consortium awarded a service contract to a consortium for the ClearSpace-1 mission to launch in 2025.

ESA has been forced to reposition its Aeolus satellite to avoid a collision with a member of SpaceX’s Starlink mega constellation.

It what seems like a paradox, engineers have been blowing up batteries in hopes of cleaning up space debris. In a series of severe "abuse" tests at the test bunkers of France’s CEA, lithium-ion batteries were tortured to better understand catastrophic battery failures and prevent battery explosions.

The ESA has been testing the possibility of using one of mankind's earliest inventions to cope with one of its newest challenges, by testing a concept that would allow satellites to net and de-orbit space debris in a safe and controlled manner.

When a tornado's heading your way, the best thing you can do is to go your basement or better yet, to a purpose-built storm shelter. The problem is, not everyone has access to either. That's where the Tuuli Armor Tornado Shield comes in. Essentially, it's a big bag that you get inside of.

In 2021, ESA plans to launch the e.DeOrbit mission, which is aimed at cleaning up space debris. The agency has now announced plans to examine the potential for the mission to use space harpoons to capture large items, such as derelict satellites and the upper stages of rockets.

ESA’s Clean Space initiative is looking at developing a satellite that can rendezvous with space debris and render it harmless by netting it like fish. The proposal is just one of the ideas to be discussed as part of a symposium this May focusing on the e.DeOrbit mission.

The tyranny of streaking, chattering windshield wipers may be at an end, with McLaren Automotive's disclosure that the performance motoring company is investigating the use of military jet "ultrasonic force fields" to replace windshield wipers in automobiles.