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ClearSpace-1
ClearSpace-1
ClearSpace-1
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ClearSpace-1
Mission typeTechnology demonstration
OperatorESA
Spacecraft properties
ManufacturerClearSpace SA
Start of mission
Launch date2029 (planned)
RocketVega C
Launch siteGuiana Space Centre
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
← Ramses
NEOMIR →

The ClearSpace-1 (ClearSpace One) mission is an ESA Space debris removal mission led by ClearSpace SA, a Swiss startup company. The mission's objective is to remove the PROBA-1 satellite from orbit. The mission aims to demonstrate technologies for rendezvous, capture, and deorbit for end-of-life satellites and to build a path to space junk remediation.[1][2] Destructive reentry will destroy both the captured satellite and itself.[3] It is expected to launch in 2029.[4]

Overview

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In 2019, the company won a tender for a ESA's Space Safety Programme contract in the Active Debris Removal/In-Orbit Servicing (ADRIOS) project. ClearSpace-1's original target was the VESPA payload adapter from the 2013 Vega flight VV02.[5] In April 2024, the target was changed to the PROBA-1 satellite.[6] The mission contract, worth 86 million euros, was signed in November 2020.[7] As of May 2023, ClearSpace-1 was expected to be launched in the second half of 2026 on a Vega-C launch vehicle.[8]

The VESPA adapter that ClearSpace-1 originally aimed to capture is the size of a washing machine and weighs about 112 kilograms.[9] ClearSpace-1's device has been described as a four-armed "space claw" that would grip VESPA and steer it back into the Earth's atmosphere, where both would be destroyed via destructive reentry.[10] On 22 August 2023, the European Space Agency announced that the VESPA adapter had likely been hit by a small piece of space debris earlier in the month, resulting in the creation of several additional pieces of trackable debris.[11] Due to the possibility of a collision with debris, the agency opted to change ClearSpace-1's target to the PROBA-1 satellite.[6]

Similar attempts

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The ClearSpace-1 mission was preceded by e.Deorbit, a space debris removal mission under planning by ESA in 2010s. In the end, the e.Deorbit mission was not implemented, the satellite was not built and the whole e.Deorbit mission was cancelled.[12] ClearSpace-1 continues the ESA space debris removal aspirations.

Tokyo-based Astroscale is a space debris removal company testing a removal device called End-of-Life Services (ELSA-d) that successfully demonstrated many of the key technologies required for space debris removal in 2021 and 2022, including magnetic docking with a client in 2021 and close approach RPO in 2022. As of 2023 ELSA-d was in its de-orbiting phase.[13][14][15]

In 2022, the UK Space Agency awarded £4 million to ClearSpace and Astroscale to remove non-operational British satellites by 2026.[16]

References

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ClearSpace-1

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
ClearSpace-1 is an active removal mission commissioned by the (ESA) in 2020, designed to rendezvous with, capture, and deorbit the defunct satellite—a 95 kg ESA-owned launched in 2001—from its low-Earth at approximately 670 km altitude. The mission employs a dedicated chaser equipped with four articulated robotic arms to perform a non-destructive capture of the unprepared and uncooperative target, followed by a controlled reentry into Earth's atmosphere to prevent it from becoming long-term debris. As the world's first such demonstration targeting a real orbital object without prior modifications, ClearSpace-1 aims to validate key technologies for future commercial in-orbit servicing and contribute to ESA's Zero Debris approach by 2030. As of November 2025, the mission remains in development with a planned launch in 2029. Originally targeting a 112 kg payload adapter left in orbit from a 2013 Vega launch, the mission pivoted in April 2024 after the collided with untraceable debris, rendering it unsuitable; was selected as the new target due to its stable orbit, known attitude, and historical significance as ESA's first autonomous satellite. The project, initially led by Swiss startup ClearSpace SA, transitioned leadership to in 2024 for enhanced industrial coordination, involving partners across eight European countries including contributions from the , Germany's DLR, and France's for propulsion and navigation systems. Development emphasizes autonomy, with advanced sensors for relative navigation, AI-driven proximity operations, and contact dynamics simulations to handle the capture without risking the chaser. The spacecraft will launch aboard an Vega-C rocket from Europe's in , , with operations planned to begin in a commissioning at 500 km before raising to match PROBA-1's altitude; the full mission, including rendezvous and deorbit, is scheduled for 2029. This €100 million initiative, funded primarily by ESA, not only addresses the growing threat of over 40,000 tracked debris objects in (as of 2025) but also paves the way for scalable services to remove larger or multiple items, fostering a sustainable amid increasing satellite constellations.

Background

Development History

ClearSpace SA was founded in 2018 as a Swiss startup based in Lausanne, specializing in in-orbit servicing and active space debris removal technologies. In December 2019, the European Space Agency (ESA) selected ClearSpace to lead the development of the world's first active debris removal mission, initially through a feasibility study phase. This selection aligned with ESA's emerging focus on space sustainability, later formalized in the 2022 Zero Debris Charter, which emphasizes preventing new debris generation. Following the Phase A study, ESA awarded ClearSpace a full €86 million contract on December 1, 2020, to implement the ClearSpace-1 mission, involving a European consortium for design, development, and operations. The mission's initial target was the (Vega Secondary Payload Adapter), a 112 kg object left in after the 2013 Vega VV02 launch from the . In August 2023, observations detected a collision between Vespa and untraceable debris, complicating capture due to induced tumbling and fragmentation risks, prompting a target switch announced in April 2024 to ESA's satellite—a 2001-launched, 94 kg platform owned and coordinated by ESA. In April 2024, ESA restructured the consortium to accelerate progress post-target change, with German firm assuming overall leadership and providing the satellite bus platform, while ClearSpace retained responsibility for proximity operations and capture systems. Additional partners include GMV () for guidance and navigation, Leonardo () for capture mechanisms, and Ruag Space () for structures. Key milestones include the successful completion of the Preliminary Design Review (Key Performance Gate 1) at the end of 2022, validating the overall architecture and transitioning to detailed design in 2023. Integration and testing of subsystems, including the capture arms and rendezvous sensors, have been ongoing since early 2024, with environmental qualification tests completed by mid-2025. ClearSpace-1 is slated for launch aboard an Vega-C rocket from the , provided at no additional cost as part of the mission contract to support ESA's debris mitigation goals. As of November 2025, the mission remains on track for launch in the second half of 2026, following delays from the 2023 target collision, subsequent design reviews, and constraints affecting component .

Objectives and Scope

The ClearSpace-1 mission's primary objective is to demonstrate active debris removal by rendezvousing with, capturing, and deorbiting the uncooperative and unprepared satellite in . This marks the world's first such mission targeting an end-of-life spacecraft, aiming to validate key technologies for future orbital cleanup efforts while establishing a foundation for a sustainable commercial sector in in-orbit services. Secondary objectives include testing rendezvous and proximity operations, vision-based , and robotic capture mechanisms to support broader applications like satellite life extension and repair. The mission's scope is limited to a single-target removal in PROBA-1's , approximately 515 km by 595 km altitude as of 2025, with the chaser launched into a lower commissioning before raising to match the target. Following capture using a four-armed robotic , the combined stack will undergo a controlled deorbit maneuver to ensure reentry and atmospheric burn-up, mitigating risks of further generation. Success criteria encompass precise rendezvous within close proximity (under 1 meter), collision-free capture, a stable post-capture phase lasting at least 24 hours, and execution of the deorbit burn to achieve perigee reduction for safe disposal. Funded primarily by the under its Space Safety programme, the mission's total cost is approximately €100 million, covering development, launch, and operations with contingencies. Limitations include a focus exclusively on demonstration of end-of-life disposal for one uncooperative target, excluding multi-target operations, refueling, or in-orbit assembly capabilities.

Mission Design

Spacecraft Configuration

The ClearSpace-1 chaser spacecraft is a medium-sized with a wet mass of 580 kg, including system requirements review margins, built on a platform provided by . Its overall dimensions measure 1.6 m in width by 1.3 m in height, designed to interface with a 24-inch standard adapter for compatibility with missions like Vega C. The design emphasizes modularity and cost-efficiency, incorporating mostly off-the-shelf components to support the mission's active debris removal objectives in . The propulsion system relies on a chemical bi-propellant setup to deliver the required velocity changes for rendezvous with the target and subsequent deorbit maneuvers. This configuration provides approximately 100 m/s delta-V for proximity operations and 50 m/s for controlled reentry, enabling the to synchronize with the non-cooperative target's at around 555 km altitude. For fine attitude control during close-proximity phases, cold gas thrusters supplement the main system. The Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) subsystem enables autonomous relative navigation using a combination of flash LiDAR, visual cameras, and star trackers. The flash LiDAR, developed in collaboration with Teledyne FLIR and CSEM, generates full 3D point-cloud images with a single laser pulse, offering robustness to varying illumination conditions and supporting real-time obstacle avoidance at relative speeds up to 28,000 km/h. Cameras provide visual-based pose estimation for far- and close-range operations, while star trackers, gyros, and magnetotorquers ensure precise attitude determination on the platform. AI-driven software, including deep learning models from Klepsydra, processes LiDAR data for 6D relative pose estimation and collision avoidance maneuvers. Power is generated by body-mounted gallium arsenide solar panels deployed across five sides, with lithium-ion batteries handling eclipse periods and peak loads. The system delivers around 90 W at peak for the core platform, sufficient for LEO operations, supported by a 28 V regulated bus. Thermal management employs passive control techniques, leveraging the spacecraft's reflectivity and orbit dynamics to maintain subsystem temperatures without active heaters or coolers in the primary configuration. The communication subsystem uses S-band links for , tracking, and command exchanges with ground stations, ensuring reliable data relay during all mission phases. Laser-based ranging supports high-precision positioning during rendezvous. The avionics core consists of redundant onboard computers equipped with radiation-hardened processors to withstand the LEO radiation environment. Flight software for GNC and is developed by ClearSpace in partnership with GMV, focusing on real-time for non-cooperative target handling.

Target Selection

The target for the ClearSpace-1 mission is the Earth observation satellite, launched on October 22, 2001, aboard an Indian Space Research Organisation PSLV-C3 rocket from , . Originally a technology demonstration mission focused on autonomous operations, provided Earth imagery until December 2022, after which operations were extended for testing algorithms and telecommands; as of 2025, the satellite remains operational, with its mission planned to end in 2028 after more than 27 years in orbit. PROBA-1 features a compact box-shaped structure measuring 60 cm × 60 cm × 80 cm, constructed with a honeycomb aluminum design and body-mounted solar panels, with a total mass of 94 kg. The satellite maintains a stable, non-tumbling attitude, supported by its three-axis stabilization system that achieves absolute pointing accuracy of 150 arcseconds and relative stability of 10 arcseconds over 10 seconds. Orbiting in a sun-synchronous low Earth orbit with a mean altitude of approximately 555 km (perigee 515 km, apogee 595 km), an inclination of 98.0°, and a nodal period of about 95 minutes, PROBA-1 is projected to reenter Earth's atmosphere naturally in the late 2020s without active intervention. The selection of as the target was driven by several factors, including its ownership by the , which simplifies legal and coordination requirements compared to third-party objects. This choice followed a shift from the original target, the payload adapter, after the latter collided with untraceable in 2023, introducing safety and complexity risks. As an uncooperative object lacking any docking interface or preparation for capture, exemplifies typical uncontrolled in , making it an ideal demonstration case for active removal technologies. Pre-mission preparations for the target emphasize its unprepared status to validate real-world debris removal scenarios, with no on-orbit modifications performed. Ground-based simulations and modeling of PROBA-1's attitude and orbital dynamics are conducted using historical telemetry data to predict its behavior during rendezvous. These efforts ensure the mission addresses the challenges of engaging a passive, stable target without active cooperation.

Operations and Timeline

The ClearSpace-1 mission is scheduled for launch in 2029 aboard an Vega-C rocket from Europe's in , . Following launch, operations will begin in a 500 km commissioning before raising to match PROBA-1's at approximately 670 km altitude. Rendezvous and capture are planned for early 2029, with deorbiting to follow shortly after.

Rendezvous and Capture Process

The rendezvous and capture process for ClearSpace-1 is divided into four main phases, designed to safely approach, inspect, and secure the uncooperative satellite in . This sequence relies on a combination of ground-controlled and autonomous (GNC) systems to minimize risks during proximity operations with a non-cooperative object. The process emphasizes precision to achieve low relative velocities and maintain safe distances, drawing on advanced sensors and for collision avoidance. Phase 1: Launch and Orbit Raising
Following launch, ClearSpace-1 is inserted into a 500 km for initial commissioning and system checks. thrusters then gradually raise the orbit to approximately 670 km to align with the target's and prepare for subsequent maneuvers. This phase ensures the spacecraft's and attitude control systems are fully operational before engaging in relative motion with the debris. Phase 2: Rendezvous
Rendezvous begins with phasing maneuvers executed via ground commands to position ClearSpace-1 within the target's orbital vicinity. As separation decreases to 1 km, control transitions to autonomous GNC modes, enabling the to independently adjust its . The process achieves a relative velocity below 0.1 m/s, using relative for safe approach corridors and avoiding potential collisions through predefined safety ellipses. Phase 3: Inspection
Once in close proximity, ClearSpace-1 performs a fly-around maneuver at distances of 10-50 m from the target, utilizing onboard cameras and sensors to create a 3D map of the satellite's surface and verify its structural configuration. This phase allows for detailed assessment of the target's attitude, tumbling rate, and any anomalies, informing the final capture approach while maintaining a safe standoff distance. Flash LiDAR technology provides high-resolution ranging for accurate pose estimation during the inspection. Phase 4: Capture
The capture phase involves deploying four robotic arms in a claw-based caging system to embrace and secure the satellite. The arms synchronize with the target's attitude dynamics to ensure stable contact, enveloping the satellite in under 10 minutes. This mechanism secures the target without damaging either spacecraft, enabling the combined stack for subsequent deorbiting. Throughout all phases, safety features include automated collision avoidance maneuvers triggered by anomaly detection via sensors, as well as abort options that allow reversion to a safe distance or formation-keeping mode at any stage. These protocols, including passive safety through trajectory constraints and active contingency planning, ensure mission robustness against uncertainties in the uncooperative target's behavior.

Deorbiting and Reentry

Following capture of the target object, the ClearSpace-1 spacecraft secures it using its four robotic arms, initiating a post-capture stabilization phase. The combined stack is detumbled and characterized through coordinated use of the servicer's (GNC) systems and thrusters, which maintain a stable coupled attitude. This verification process, including downlink of images and via X-band, typically lasts up to one day to ensure the integrity of the configuration before proceeding. The deorbiting phase commences with a single impulsive burn executed by the main bipropellant thrusters, lowering the perigee of the stack to approximately 350 km altitude. This maneuver is designed to accelerate , ensuring reentry within less than five years while complying with ESA's mitigation guidelines. The required delta-V for deorbiting forms part of the mission's total budget of about 300 m/s, with approximately 90 kg of allocated overall; the target's mass of around 95 kg influences the precise delta-V needed for the burn. Upon perigee reduction, the stack proceeds to an uncontrolled atmospheric reentry, with the trajectory selected to target a remote oceanic region in the South Pacific to achieve a ground casualty risk below 10^{-4}. The spacecraft and target are engineered for full demise during reentry, with breakup predicted to begin at approximately 80 km altitude and no fragments larger than 10 cm expected to survive to the surface. Throughout the disposal phase, the stack is continuously monitored using ground-based radar networks until loss of signal, enabling precise prediction of the reentry timeline. Post-reentry, orbital decay data is analyzed to validate mission performance and inform future debris removal operations.

Significance and Challenges

Role in Space Debris Mitigation

The proliferation of space debris poses a significant threat to operational spacecraft and future space activities in low Earth orbit (LEO), where over 40,000 objects larger than 10 cm are tracked as of 2025. This accumulation increases the risk of Kessler syndrome, a cascading collision scenario that could render entire orbital regimes unusable by generating exponentially more debris. ClearSpace-1 addresses this crisis as the first operational active debris removal (ADR) mission targeting an uncooperative object, demonstrating the feasibility of removing unprepared debris without prior modifications. The mission's technological demonstration centers on a four-armed capture system that enables precise rendezvous and of tumbling , proving the scalability of these methods for future operations involving multiple targets in a single mission. By successfully executing non-cooperative capture and controlled deorbit, ClearSpace-1 aligns with Committee on the Peaceful Uses of (COPUOS) Mitigation Guidelines, which emphasize post-mission disposal to limit long-term populations. This validation supports the development of repeatable ADR technologies essential for sustained orbital cleanup efforts. On the policy front, ClearSpace-1 bolsters the European Space Agency's (ESA) Zero Debris Approach, which targets a halt to new debris generation in Earth and lunar orbits by 2030 through mitigation and removal initiatives. It also facilitates the emergence of commercial ADR services by establishing operational precedents under international liability frameworks, such as the 1972 Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects, thereby clarifying responsibilities for debris removal operators. Environmentally, ClearSpace-1 removes approximately 95 kg of —the defunct satellite—from a crowded orbital shell around 600 km altitude, thereby reducing the overall probability of collisions that could exacerbate debris growth. The mission's in-orbit data on rendezvous dynamics and atmospheric reentry further refines orbital lifetime prediction models, enhancing global strategies for . In terms of legacy, ClearSpace-1's capture and guidance technologies inform subsequent programs, including the 's CLEAR mission, accelerating advancements in robotic handling. This collaboration exemplifies growing international cooperation, as evidenced by shared ESA frameworks with partners like and the , to coordinate multi-national removal for long-term .

Technical and Regulatory Challenges

The ClearSpace-1 mission encountered significant technical hurdles in managing an uncooperative target in orbit, particularly the risk of tumbling that complicates capture operations. The original target, the VESPA payload adapter from a Vega rocket, was struck by untraceable debris on August 10, 2023, inducing spin and elevating capture risks due to the unpredictable motion. To mitigate this, the European Space Agency (ESA) and ClearSpace retargeted the mission to ESA's PROBA-1 satellite, a 95 kg uncooperative object that remains stable without induced tumbling, allowing for more predictable rendezvous and proximity maneuvers. Collision risks during proximity operations posed another challenge, as close approaches to an unprepared target increase the potential for unintended contact in low-Earth orbit. These risks are addressed through redundant sensor systems, including visual cameras for initial fly-arounds and Flash LiDAR for high-precision relative navigation, ensuring fault-tolerant detection and avoidance during final approach. Additionally, disruptions, exacerbated by global events and component shortages, along with the target change, delayed the mission timeline, pushing the launch from an initial 2025 target to 2029 aboard a . In 2024, leadership transitioned to as prime contractor to streamline integration and reduce further delays. Achieving rendezvous precision below 1 cm without relying on —unavailable in the target's shadow or during close proximity—required advanced relative algorithms. These algorithms fuse data from onboard sensors to estimate the relative position and attitude of the chaser and target, with performance validated through extensive ground-based simulators that replicate orbital dynamics and sensor noise. Regulatory challenges centered on ownership and liability frameworks under the , which holds launching states responsible for objects they place in orbit, including defunct satellites and derivatives. For ClearSpace-1, ESA's ownership of the target simplified internal coordination, but broader mission planning involved liaising with international partners to affirm rights over shared orbital regimes and avoid disputes in future multi-national debris removal efforts. Export controls on dual-use technologies, such as the autonomous and capture systems, further complicated development, requiring compliance with international regulations like the to prevent proliferation risks. The mission also faced cost and schedule overruns, with the initial €86 million ESA contract increasing by approximately 20% due to target redesigns, sensor integrations, and consortium adjustments following the 2023 collision event. These were mitigated through restructuring the industrial team, with assuming prime contractor responsibilities to streamline integration and reduce delays. Risk mitigation strategies included comprehensive (FMEA) to identify and prioritize potential system faults during rendezvous and deorbit phases, alongside securing third-party coverage up to €50 million to address any ground-based reentry hazards.

References

  1. https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/ClearSpace-1
  2. https://clearspace.today/missions/clearspace-1
  3. https://spacenews.com/major-changes-approved-for-clearspace-1-mission/
  4. https://clearspace.today/news/clearspace-1-mission-changes-in-response-to-space-debris-collision-to-go-leaner-faster-and-safer
  5. https://europeanspaceflight.com/esa-selects-ohb-se-to-take-over-clearspace-1-mission-leadership/
  6. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021spde.confE.228B/abstract
  7. https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/ESA_purchases_world-first_debris_removal_mission_from_start-up
  8. https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Space_Debris/ESA_Space_Environment_Report_2025
  9. https://clearspace.today/about
  10. https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Releases/ESA_commissions_world_s_first_space_debris_removal
  11. https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Clean_Space/The_Zero_Debris_Charter
  12. https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Releases/ESA_purchases_world-first_debris_removal_mission_from_start-up
  13. https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Objects_detected_in_the_vicinity_of_ClearSpace-1_debris_removal_mission_target
  14. https://spacenews.com/clearspace-clears-first-esa-review-for-2026-de-orbit-mission/
  15. https://europeanspaceflight.com/clearspace-debris-removal-mission-passes-key-milestones/
  16. https://clearspace.today/news/clearspace-to-launch-the-first-active-debris-removal-mission-with-arianespace-vega-c
  17. https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=26958
  18. https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/12/1/67
  19. https://clearspace.today/
  20. https://indico.esa.int/event/516/contributions/9983/attachments/6342/10932/ClearSpace-1%20IOD%20Mission_Clean%20Space%20Days.pdf
  21. https://clearspace.today/news/smart-eyes-flash-lidar
  22. https://conference.sdo.esoc.esa.int/proceedings/sdc9/paper/317/SDC9-paper317.pdf
  23. https://www.gmv.com/sites/default/files/content/file/2022/07/22/114/gmv_news_82_en.pdf
  24. https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/proba-1
  25. https://space.oscar.wmo.int/satellites/view/proba_1
  26. https://www.spacebel.com/news/Proba-1-Completing-23-Years-in-Orbit-and-Still-Going-Strong
  27. https://earth.esa.int/eogateway/missions/proba-1
  28. https://star.spaceops.org/2025/user_manudownload.php?doc=396__qhs3pbn0.pdf
  29. https://blogs.esa.int/cleanspace/2018/11/16/basics-about-controlled-and-semi-controlled-reentry/
  30. https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/The_Kessler_Effect_and_how_to_stop_it
  31. https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Clean_Space/ESA_s_Zero_Debris_approach
  32. https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/orbitaldebris2023/pdf/6075.pdf
  33. https://www.eucass.eu/component/docindexer/?task=download&id=7309
  34. https://spacenews.com/target-of-european-debris-removal-mission-hit-by-other-debris/
  35. https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Clean_Space/ClearSpace-1
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