Airbus Active Debris Removal Service

Abstract

With the increasing number of both functional and defunct space assets being present in orbit, and having a better understanding of the space environment, it is clear that there is a need for active debris removal (ADR) today if not in the very near future. Previous demonstrators have been successful such as the RemoveDEBRIS mission which was co-funded by the European Commission and produced by a set of partners. Airbus have also worked extensively on other projects to develop the capability to rendezvous and capture objects in space (such as the ATV with 5 successful flights, e-Deorbit, DEOS, and Space Tug). Airbus have been working with agencies and industry to create a removal service with the aim of being both technically feasible and at an attractive price point to potential customers. The capture solutions have been outlined and an example mission profile is shown for providing the service for a mega-constellation operator. With this setup, a total of 20+ spacecraft could be deorbited with a single ADR vehicle which would provide an affordable price point.