NewSpace AtlasSearch

ClearSpace-1

An ESA-commissioned mission to capture the retired PROBA-1 satellite and remove it from orbit, with removal targeted by 2028.

Why it matters

It is Europe's flagship debris-removal mission. Success would show that a dead satellite with no docking hardware can be captured and removed.

How the technology works

A servicer spacecraft rendezvouses with PROBA-1, an old ESA satellite, and captures it autonomously with a claw-type mechanism, then removes it from orbit.

Sources

  1. ClearSpace website

Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction