8 months ago
Cosmoserve Space to test robotic arms for space junk cleanup
Imagine driving a car at 100 km/h and suddenly seeing lots of objects coming towards you at the same speed.
If you crash, the impact will be very strong.
This is similar to what happens in space.
Satellites travel at 27,000 km/h and can be damaged by small pieces of space junk.
A startup called Cosmoserve Space is working on a solution.
They are making robotic arms that can catch space junk and bring it down to Earth's atmosphere where it will burn up.
These arms are inspired by how flytrap plants catch their prey.
The company plans to test these arms in space soon.
They have already raised money and are working with global space operators.
Their goal is to make space safer for satellites.
Cosmoserve Space is developing robotic arms inspired by flytrap plants to capture and de-orbit space debris.
The startup plans to test its technology in low Earth orbit in two months.
The robotic arms can capture debris of various shapes and sizes and de-orbit them by bringing them to an altitude of 300 km where they burn up.
Cosmoserve Space has raised $3.2 million and aims to raise an additional $5 million for infrastructure.
The startup has secured Letters of Intent (LOIs) from global space operators in Europe and the US.
- Who
- Cosmoserve Space, a Hyderabad-based startup founded by Chiran Phanidra
- What
- Developing robotic arms inspired by flytrap plants to capture and de-orbit space debris
- Where
- Low Earth orbit
- When
- Testing scheduled in two months
- Why
- To address the growing threat of space debris to satellites and space missions
Key facts
- Company
- Cosmoserve Space
- Founder
- Chiran Phanidra
- Funding
- $3.2 million
- Test Date
- In two months
- Debris Speed
- 27,000 km/h
- Reviver Craft Weight
- 150 kg
- Mother Craft Weight
- 3 tonnes
- Estimated Satellites to be Launched
- 50,000 in the next five years
Quotes
Chiran Phanidra
Founder of Cosmoserve Space and former ISRO scientist
“You can find and track large objects (which are more than 10cm) using ground radars, helping satellites to perform fuel-consuming collision avoidance manoeuvres. But the smaller ones are untraceable and innumerable. A 1-mm aluminium fragment traveling at 27,000 km/hour can wreak havoc on satellites and their missions.”
thehindubusinessline.com
“Since 1957, about 20,000 objects have been launched into orbit. In the next five years, an estimated 50,000 additional satellites will be launched. They are to face an enormous number of wayward projectiles moving around in unpredictable directions.”
thehindubusinessline.com
Sources
Related news
Ikea cuts European prices as cost pressures weaken demand
Europe's Bond Selloff Deepens as Middle East Tensions Lift Oil
China’s Rapid Car Development Faces Growing Safety Scrutiny
CNG Prices Rise Rs 2 per Kilogram in Pune
China Challenges US Leadership in Escalating Global AI Contest
