Europe studies the project of clearing cosmic garbage

The European Space Agency (ESA) said it is deploying future missions to "capture" the "corpses" of satellites that drift in Earth orbit.

ESA is evaluating the ability to implement the mission e.DeOrbit , under the Initiative of Clean Space, with the goal of capturing and collecting waste in orbit to reduce the risk of collisions in the space around Earth.

Mission vision of e.DeOrbit with cast net - (Photo: ESA)

Years of launching satellites and spacecraft have pushed Earth's orbit into garbage, with more than 17,000 larger pieces of coffee that could threaten ongoing missions.

The only way to control the area full of garbage in the planet's low orbit is to remove large objects such as the derelict satellite that is drifting and the rest of the boosters, according to Space.com.

The first technical challenge of the garbage removal mission is how to safely access a floating object in space, then grab it and throw it into the atmosphere to burn it.

Some devices are being researched, including nets, machines equipped with clamping tools and hooks.

In May, Europe will hold a conference in the Netherlands to evaluate research and technology development related to the e.DeOrbit project.