A new initiative by a Swiss partnership, ClearSpace Mission-1, aims to tackle the growing problem of space debris around Earth. The team, which includes luxury watchmaker Omega, is working towards capturing and de-orbiting satellites that pose a risk to communications, transport, and even banking systems.
Launched just 60 years after humans first entered orbit, the ClearSpace Mission-1 project seeks to address concerns about collisions between satellites. The number of satellite launches is expected to rise rapidly over the next few years, leading to an increased risk of debris.
ClearSpace CEO Luc Piguet noted that past predictions on collision risks are no longer applicable due to advancements in space exploration. “The problem is all the predictions we made in the past…are not really applicable anymore,” he said.
To support their mission, ClearSpace teamed up with Omega, which was first to send a watch to the moon in 1969. The partnership aims to create long-lasting collaboration based on shared values.
ClearSpace Mission-1 targets the European Space Agency’s Proba-1 autonomous spacecraft, scheduled for launch by 2028. The objective is to capture the object and secure it before slowing it down and releasing it in the Earth’s atmosphere.
The growing space economy and rising cost of satellite launches make sustainability a pressing concern. With an expected global industry worth $1.8 trillion by 2035, ClearSpace aims to address this issue with the European Space Agency’s support through an 86-million-euro contract.
ClearSpace CEO Piguet emphasized that the total mission cost will be around 120 million euros, primarily due to non-recurring engineering costs.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2025/02/06/swiss-startup-clearspace-and-watchmaker-omegas-mission-to-clean-space.html