Similar to this anthropomorphic robotic hand, the ClearSpace-1 robotic four-armed capture system satellite is designed to grab things, or more specifically, space debris. The company just successfully passed their first major program review with the European Space Agency (ESA)
ClearSpace hopes to launch the first active debris removal mission by 2025, in which ClearSpace-1 will rendezvous, capture and take down for reentry the upper part of a Vespa (Vega Secondary Payload Adapter) used with Europe’s Vega launcher. The upper part of Vespa was left in a ‘gradual disposal’ orbit to ensure that it complies with space debris mitigation regulations, following the second flight of Vega in 2013.
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At orbital velocities, even a screw can hit with explosive force, which cannot be shielded against by mission designers; instead the threat needs to be managed through the active removal of debris items. Along with an experienced European industrial team and the close collaboration with ESA, we were able to reach this important milestone in an effective and technologically sound manner,” said Muriel Richard-Noca, ClearSpace Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder.