Active Debris Removal
8 in indexMissions that capture and de-orbit existing debris objects — defunct satellites, spent stages — to reduce collision risk in LEO.
Active Debris Removal (ADR) refers to missions that physically capture and de-orbit existing debris in LEO — defunct satellites, spent rocket upper stages, and large fragments. Capture mechanisms range from harpoons and nets (RemoveDEBRIS) to magnetic docking (Astroscale) to robotic arms.
Debris density in popular LEO altitudes is climbing fast and the Kessler-cascade tail risk grows non-linearly with population. JAXA, ESA, and a slate of commercial firms are flying first-of-kind ADR missions. The regulatory and commercial models — who pays to remove what — are still being negotiated.
- Targeted removal of high-risk debris objects
- End-of-life de-orbit services for operators
- Servicing missions that include debris-capture as a side product
Companies working with Active Debris Removal
Astroscale
JPN
Designs and operates spacecraft for on-orbit servicing, including debris removal, satellite life extension, and refueling across LEO and GEO
Space Sustainability & Debris RemovalIn-Orbit Servicing & AssemblySpace Domain Awareness
Benchmark Space Systems
USA
Designs and manufactures chemical, electric, and hybrid propulsion systems for spacecraft ranging from cubesats to orbital transfer vehicles
Space Transportation & LogisticsSpace PropulsionSpace Sustainability & Debris Removal
ClearSpace
LUX
Designs and operates robotic spacecraft for active debris removal, satellite life extension, and in-orbit inspection services.
Satellite ManufacturingSpace Sustainability & Debris RemovalIn-Orbit Servicing & Assembly
D-Orbit
ITA
Operates orbital transfer vehicles for last-mile satellite delivery, hosted payload services, space cloud computing, and in-orbit servicing.
Space Transportation & LogisticsIn-Orbit Servicing & AssemblySpace Software & Mission Tools
Kurs Orbital
ITA
Develops a standardized autonomous rendezvous and docking module for satellite life extension, debris removal, and in-orbit servicing missions
Space Sustainability & Debris RemovalSatellite Components & SubsystemsIn-Orbit Servicing & Assembly
Starfish Space
USA
Develops autonomous satellite servicing vehicles using electric propulsion for life extension, disposal, and on-orbit maneuvering
Space PropulsionSpace Sustainability & Debris RemovalIn-Orbit Servicing & Assembly
TransAstra
USA
Develops orbital logistics vehicles, asteroid capture systems, and space domain awareness telescopes for cislunar resource utilization
Space Transportation & LogisticsSpace Domain AwarenessSpace Resources & Mining
Turion Space
USA
Designs, builds, and operates autonomous spacecraft for space domain awareness, debris removal, and in-orbit servicing using gridded ion propulsion.
Satellite ManufacturingIn-Orbit Servicing & AssemblySpace Domain Awareness