The European Space Agency (ESA) estimates that there are about 1.5 million objects classified as space debris. Experts warn that the problem is growing as the number of satellites in orbit increases.
Potential solutions include technologies to remove debris as well as in-orbit satellite servicing vehicles that can manoeuvre around spacecraft and extend their operational life spans.
One such solution is a multi-purpose spacecraft being developed under the Raven project by Polish company PIAP Space.
The project aims to develop robotic technologies that could make space operations safer and more sustainable, the company said.
PIAP Space experts said efforts to tackle space debris are developing along two main lines: removing objects from orbit and developing systems capable of servicing satellites while they are in operation.
For more than 60 years, satellites have generally followed a simple operating model: They are launched into orbit, perform their missions until they run out of fuel or suffer a failure, and then either remain in orbit as inactive objects or undergo controlled deorbiting.
But the rapid increase in the number of satellites, particularly with the development of large constellations, is changing that approach. Spacecraft capable of actively operating around other objects in orbit are becoming increasingly important.
The Raven project is being developed by an international consortium led by PIAP Space under the European Space Agency's Future Launchers Preparatory Programme.
The goal is to create a spacecraft capable of supporting orbital infrastructure throughout its entire service life, said Sergius Sawin, CEO of PIAP Space.
"The goal of the Raven project is to build a spacecraft that goes beyond a standard satellite; it is a platform designed to perform various servicing functions," Sawin said.
These could range from approaching and circling another object for inspection to, in more advanced mission phases, docking with, capturing and performing robotic operations on another satellite, he said.
The Raven mission is designed to develop these capabilities gradually, starting with simpler tasks before moving on to more advanced operations, Sawin said.
The programme involves several stages of technology development and mission design.
The first demonstration mission, scheduled for 2029, will focus on testing key technologies, including orbital changes, phasing manoeuvres, proximity operations near other objects and controlled deorbiting.
In the longer term, the technologies could provide a foundation for space logistics services as well as satellite security and protection operations in orbit.
(ab/gs)
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