Satellite trash – The dark side of the space boom

More and more satellites are being launched into orbit, circling the Earth at a cheaper rate than ever before. But as the number of objects in orbit continues to increase, it creates a potential risk of collision with existing satellites. Moreover, each collision generates a massive amount of debris that becomes increasingly difficult to handle. In these emergencies, even the International Space Station has to batten down the hatches and seek refuge in its “lifeboat.” These issues have prompted organizations to initiate space debris removal projects before any disaster occurs. And one of them is the Munich-based aerospace company HPS that’s mainly focused on solving this crisis.

The HPS aims to resolve the space junk issue with their innovative drag sail. This drag sail guarantees an improved efficiency ratio compared to other sails used for the same purpose. The company has already conducted tests in space, which have proven promising enough to continue with their advancement in this technology. The project, expected to be launched soon, one day may save the tens of thousands of satellites, and the systems they support in space, from becoming the victims of a terrible accident.