Startup launches 'cleaning' robot into space
Marie Donlon | April 28, 2021A Chinese startup has launched a prototype robot into space to assist with cleaning up space junk.
The Neo-01 from Origin Space has been launched into space via China’s Long March 6 rocket. Equipped with a net, the 30 kg Neo-01 is expected to gather up some of the debris from the estimated 3,000 satellites left floating in space from previous missions along with millions of smaller pieces of associated debris.
Source: Origin Space
Once the debris is captured, the Neo-01 will reportedly burn the captured space junk using its electric propulsion system.
According to developers, the space debris poses a significant threat to satellites currently in operation, threatening to collide with and disrupt or destroy those devices.
In addition to its debris-capturing trial, the Neo-01 is also expected to be used for future asteroid mining expeditions, wherein the robots will recover mineral samples from asteroids.
Interesting. I wonder what other functions it could be used for?
It's about time that some of the space trash is cleaned up. They could probably burn it up by decelerating it so it would de-orbit and burn as it reentered the atmosphere.