ClearSpace
Designs and operates robotic spacecraft for active debris removal, satellite life extension, and in-orbit inspection services
ClearSpace designs and operates robotic spacecraft for active debris removal, satellite life extension, and in-orbit inspection. Founded in 2018 as a spin-off from the EPFL Space Center in Switzerland, the company is now headquartered in Luxembourg with engineering offices in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States.
The company holds the contract for ClearSpace-1, the first active debris removal mission commissioned by the European Space Agency, targeting the de-orbit of the PROBA-1 satellite using a four-armed robotic capture system with a planned 2028 launch. Its CLEAR mission, supported by the UK Space Agency, aims to remove two defunct UK-registered satellites from low Earth orbit. The PRELUDE mission, launching in 2027, validates six-degrees-of-freedom proximity operations and autonomous rendezvous technologies.
Beyond debris remediation, ClearSpace develops geostationary satellite life extension services through its Phoenix program, which enables non-cooperative docking with aging GEO satellites for propulsion and attitude control takeover. The company maintains contracts with ESA, the UK Space Agency, and the Luxembourg Space Agency, and has announced partnerships with Intelsat, LeoLabs, and Orbit Fab.
Operates orbital transfer vehicles for last-mile satellite delivery, hosted payload services, space cloud computing, and in-orbit servicing
Designs and operates spacecraft for on-orbit servicing, including debris removal, satellite life extension, and refueling across LEO and GEO
Develops a standardized autonomous rendezvous and docking module for satellite life extension, debris removal, and in-orbit servicing missions