Space Debris Removal: Companies Cleaning Up Earth's Orbit

Earth orbit has a pollution problem. The U.S. Space Surveillance Network tracks over 36,000 objects larger than 10 cm in orbit, including dead satellites, spent rocket stages, and fragments from collisions and explosions. An estimated 130 million smaller pieces, too small to track but large enough to damage or destroy an active satellite, also orbit the planet at velocities exceeding 28,000 km/h. At those speeds, even a 1 cm paint flake carries the kinetic energy of a hand grenade.

The problem is getting worse. With over 10,000 active satellites now in orbit and mega-constellations continuing to grow, the risk of collision, and the cascading chain reaction known as Kessler syndrome, is no longer theoretical. A new industry is emerging to address this existential threat to the space economy: active debris removal (ADR). Here are the companies leading the charge and the technologies they are developing.

The Scale of the Problem

To understand why debris removal matters, consider the numbers:

• 36,500+ tracked objects: Cataloged by the 18th Space Defense Squadron (formerly 18th Space Control Squadron) using ground-based radar and optical sensors
• ~1 million objects 1-10 cm: Estimated by statistical models based on radar sampling, too small to track individually, large enough to cause catastrophic damage
• ~130 million objects 1 mm-1 cm: Can damage solar panels, optics, and thermal protection systems
• ~28,000 km/h: Average relative velocity in LEO collisions. At this speed, a 10 cm object impacts with roughly the energy of a stick of dynamite
• ~30 conjunction alerts per week per satellite: The average number of close-approach warnings that satellite operators must evaluate

The two single worst debris events in history, the 2007 Chinese ASAT test (which deliberately destroyed the Fengyun-1C weather satellite, creating 3,500+ tracked fragments) and the 2009 collision between Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 (creating 2,300+ tracked fragments), account for roughly one-third of all cataloged debris in LEO. Both events demonstrated that a single incident can contaminate entire orbital shells for decades.

Kessler Syndrome: The Tipping Point

In 1978, NASA scientist Donald Kessler described a scenario in which the density of objects in LEO becomes high enough that collisions between objects create more fragments than are removed by atmospheric drag. Once this threshold is crossed, a self-sustaining cascade begins: each collision creates more debris, which causes more collisions, which creates more debris. The result is an ever-thickening shell of debris that renders certain orbital altitudes unusable for decades or centuries.

Current modeling by ESA's Space Debris Office suggests that certain altitude bands (particularly 750-900 km, where many Earth observation satellites and the remnants of the Fengyun-1C debris cloud reside) may already be at or near the tipping point. Even if humanity launched no new satellites, the existing debris population in these bands would continue to grow through mutual collisions. Active removal of 5-10 large objects per year is estimated to be the minimum required to stabilize the environment.

Companies Leading Debris Removal

Astroscale (Japan/UK)

The most advanced commercial debris removal company, Astroscale has been developing ADR capabilities since 2013. Their approach centers on two complementary technologies:

• ELSA-d (End-of-Life Services by Astroscale - demonstration): Launched in 2021, this mission demonstrated magnetic capture of a cooperative target (a client satellite equipped with a docking plate). The servicer successfully captured and released the target multiple times.
• ADRAS-J (Active Debris Removal by Astroscale - Japan): Launched in 2024, this mission performed the world's first rendezvous and proximity operation with an actual piece of debris, a Japanese H-2A rocket upper stage. ADRAS-J approached within meters and captured detailed imagery of the tumbling, uncooperative object.
• ELSA-M (Multi-client): The commercial follow-on, designed to remove multiple debris objects in a single mission using a robotic arm capture mechanism. Expected to begin operations in 2026-2027.

ClearSpace (Switzerland/ESA)

ClearSpace was selected by ESA for the ClearSpace-1 mission, the world's first institutional debris removal mission. The target is a Vega Secondary Payload Adapter (VESPA) left in orbit in 2013 at approximately 800 km altitude. ClearSpace-1 will use a "space claw" (four robotic arms that close around the target to capture it) then perform a controlled deorbit. The mission is scheduled for 2026 and will demonstrate ESA's commitment to "zero debris" by 2030.

Orbit Fab (United States)

While not a debris removal company per se, Orbit Fab is building the in-space refueling infrastructure that debris removal services will need to operate economically. Their RAFTI (Rapidly Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface) docking port and fuel depot architecture would allow debris removal vehicles to refuel in orbit, servicing multiple targets per mission rather than deorbiting with each piece of debris. Orbit Fab has already delivered its first fuel depot to orbit and signed agreements with multiple government and commercial customers.

TransAstra (United States)

TransAstra is developing capture bag technology for large debris objects. Their approach uses an inflatable bag that envelops the target, avoiding the need for complex robotic grappling of tumbling, oddly-shaped objects. The concept is particularly suited for large rocket bodies, which account for a disproportionate share of collision risk due to their size. TransAstra has received NASA SBIR funding and is developing the technology for both debris removal and asteroid mining applications.

Neumann Space (Australia)

Neumann Space is developing high-efficiency ion thrusters that can use recycled space debris as propellant. The concept is elegant: capture a piece of metallic debris, process it into propellant feedstock, and use it to fuel the removal vehicle's ion drive. This approach could make debris removal missions nearly self-sustaining, dramatically reducing costs. While still in early development, the technology has been demonstrated on the ISS.

Business Models for Debris Removal

The fundamental challenge for debris removal companies is the tragedy of the commons: everyone benefits from a cleaner orbital environment, but no single actor has sufficient incentive to pay for cleanup. Several business models are emerging to address this:

• Government contracts: Space agencies (ESA, JAXA) are funding demonstration missions and planning to procure removal services. ESA's "Zero Debris Charter" creates demand for cleanup of European-origin debris.
• Insurance-driven: As collision risk increases, satellite insurance premiums rise. Insurance companies may fund debris removal as a lower-cost alternative to paying out collision claims.
• Regulatory compliance: The FCC's 5-year deorbit rule (reduced from 25 years in 2022) and similar international regulations create a market for end-of-life disposal services. Companies that cannot deorbit their own satellites will need to hire someone to do it.
• Bundled servicing: Debris removal technology overlaps heavily with satellite servicing (refueling, repair, relocation). Companies like Astroscale are building multi-purpose servicing platforms that can remove debris and service active satellites.
• Orbital sustainability fees: Some proposals call for per-satellite fees that fund a debris removal fund, similar to how carbon taxes fund environmental remediation.

The Regulatory Landscape

Space debris regulation is evolving rapidly:

• FCC 5-year rule (2022): All satellites licensed by the FCC must deorbit within 5 years of end of mission, down from the previous 25-year guideline
• ESA Zero Debris Charter (2023): European commitment to zero debris creation by 2030, with active removal of existing European-origin debris
• UN Long-term Sustainability Guidelines: Non-binding guidelines adopted by COPUOS that establish debris mitigation norms
• ISO 24113: International standard for space debris mitigation requirements, increasingly referenced in national licensing conditions
• US ODMSP update (2024): Updated U.S. Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices with stricter requirements for collision avoidance and post-mission disposal

The Path Forward

The debris removal industry is at an inflection point. Demonstration missions have proven that rendezvous with uncooperative objects and capture are technically feasible. The regulatory environment is tightening. Insurance costs are rising. And the mega-constellation era means that the economic value of a clean orbital environment is growing exponentially.

Estimates suggest the debris removal market could reach $2.5 billion annually by 2030, driven by government contracts, insurance incentives, and regulatory mandates. The companies that solve the technical and business model challenges in the next few years will be positioned to capture a market that is both commercially valuable and existentially important for the future of space.

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