RemoveDEBRIS

Space debris refers to non-functional artificial material orbiting Earth. This can range from large rocket stages to tiny paint flecks. Much of this debris is in low Earth orbit, but some exists in geostationary orbit. Even small debris poses a significant collision risk to operational spacecraft due to the high speeds involved in orbit.

The British satellite RemoveDEBRIS, launched in 2018, tested technologies for debris removal, including capture with a net and a harpoon. It also attempted to test a drag sail to aid atmospheric reentry, though this component did not deploy successfully. Efforts to mitigate space debris include deorbiting satellites at the end of their missions and moving defunct satellites to graveyard orbits.