Ever since humans began exploring space, Earth’s orbit has become a dumping ground for space junk. This debris, which ranges from satellite debris to rocket stages, poses a growing threat to space missions and operating satellites.
Robotics is proving to be an innovative and effective solution to address this challenge, representing various strategies and missions that seek to clean up our space environment and eliminate future risks in the face of continued space exploration.
Since the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957, the amount of debris in Earth’s orbit has increased exponentially.. According to estimates, more than 34,000 objects larger than 10 cm and millions of smaller fragments are currently orbiting the Earth at extreme speeds. These debris can cause catastrophic damage if they collide with operational satellites or the International Space Station (ISS).
One of the most promising solutions for space debris management is collection robots. These devices are designed to capture and remove debris from Earth orbit. Equipped with robotic arms, nets and tentacles, they can grab objects and move them into lower orbit, where they burn up on re-entry into the atmosphere, or take them to a safe area for storage or reuse.
RemoveDEBRIS, a mission led by the University of Surrey, is a leading example of this technology. Technologies such as nets and harpoons that capture waste have been successfully tested in this project.
This advance showed that it was possible to capture the debris and guide it into a safe orbit for reentrywhich paves the way for future space cleaning missions.
In addition to collection robots, service satellites also play a vital role in mitigating the impact of space debris. These devices are designed to repair, supplement or relocate functional satellites.thereby extending their life and reducing the need to bring new similar devices to the market, which in turn reduces the amount of waste produced.
An example of this technology is the Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) developed by Northrop Grumman. The MEV is a robotic vehicle designed to attach to operational satellites and extend their life. This approach reduces the need to launch new satellites and minimizes the generation of additional debris, contributing to a cleaner space environment.
Another key aspect of this solution is robotic docking technology. This is a crucial option for capturing larger pieces of space debris, as it is a technology that allows satellites to precisely latch on to debris objects in order to remove them.. Accuracy in these operations is crucial due to the high relative velocities of the objects in orbit.
Despite technological advances, the management of space debris presents significant challenges. Identifying and tracking small objects is a complex task that requires advanced monitoring technologies. In addition, capture and removal operations must be performed with extreme precision due to the high relative velocities of objects in orbit.
Likewise, there are ethical and legal considerations in disposing of space debris. Ownership of objects in orbit and liability for debris must be addressed within an international framework to ensure cleanup operations are fair and safe. International cooperation is essential to establish rules and regulations to facilitate effective space debris management.
Because of that reason, The future of space debris management depends on international cooperation, technological innovation and a commitment to sustainable practices. Thanks to a coordinated approach and the use of advanced robotics, it is possible to face this global challenge and ensure a cleaner and safer space environment for future generations.
