Capture Bag Designed to Collect Space Junk in Orbit
A new solution to the growing problem of space debris has emerged with the development of an inflatable capture bag designed to collect and dispose of defunct spacecraft. The startup company, TransAstra, has been awarded an early-stage contract by NASA to build and demonstrate the technology.
The capture bag was originally invented for the Asteroid Redirect Mission but was soon adapted for the purpose of cleaning up orbital junk. Currently, the Department of Defense’s global Space Surveillance Network tracks over 27,000 pieces of orbital debris, with many smaller pieces remaining undetected. As the global space industry continues to expand, this number is expected to increase.
TransAstra’s capture bag works in conjunction with a space tug named the Worker Bee. Once deployed to orbit, the bag inflates and collects multiple pieces of space junk, akin to a space Pac-Man. It then transports the debris to an in-orbit recycling plant called the ThinkPlatform.
Nicole Shumaker, TransAstra’s Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, explains the benefits of the capture bag technology: “Repeated trips to pick up orbital debris and transport it to Earth’s atmosphere for disposal require significant propellant and time. Recycling stations in space resolve this problem and transform what was previously a liability into an asset that not only mitigates orbital debris but opens up new possibilities for in-space manufacturing and construction.”
The contract awarded to TransAstra by NASA is worth $850,000 and will allow the California-based company to further develop and demonstrate their inflatable capture bag technology on the ground. The hope is that this innovative solution will contribute to the mitigation of space debris and pave the way for future advancements in space exploration and manufacturing.
The issue of space debris has become increasingly concerning, with a recent incident highlighting the urgent need for effective cleanup methods. An upcoming space junk removal mission was thwarted when the target was struck by another piece of space debris before it could be collected.
As TransAstra continues to work on perfecting its capture bag technology, many believe that this could be a major step towards cleaning up the junk floating in orbit and ensuring a safer future for space exploration. With the global space industry set to grow, it is crucial to find solutions to manage and dispose of orbital debris effectively.
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