The ESA is spending $100 million to clean up one piece of space junk

[Mike Wehner]

• The European Space Agency is paying the equivalent of over $100 million to remove a single piece of manmade space junk from Earth orbit.
• The ClearSpace-1 mission will launch in 2025 and attempt to bring down a rocket payload adapter.
• The mission will be critical in demonstrating how future cleanup efforts may be possible.

We all love seeing rockets launch, carrying scientific equipment and sometimes human beings into space. It's cool, and it's proof that when humans put their minds to something they can accomplish great things. Unfortunately, launching things into space leaves a lot of trash behind, often floating in orbit around Earth for months or, in some cases, many years.

Space junk is a huge problem that is growing bigger by the day. Discarded rocket components, bits and pieces of old, defunct satellites, and even abandoned space stations (looking at you, China) have cluttered the area around Earth in greater density than ever before. Now, as a new initiative by the European Space Agency suggests, cleaning up that trash is going to be a complicated and apparently very, very costly task.

BGR's Hottest Deal of the Day​

FDA-authorized Powecom KN95 masks certified by NIOSH to work even better than 3M N95 masks are discounted for Black Friday! Was $45, Now $26.25 Available from Amazon Prime. BGR may receive a commission. Buy Now

Continue reading...

Today's Top Deals

1. The single best Amazon deal of Black Friday 2020 is still available today
2. Amazon’s Cyber Monday 2020 sale started early – all the best deals you can get now
3. Sunday’s best Cyber Weekend deals: $60 off AirPods 2, Instant Pots, $5 smart plugs, $7 smart bulbs, more

Trending Right Now:

1. If you don’t want COVID, Dr. Fauci says stay away from these 4 places
2. This doctor has 4 words that can save your life during the coronavirus pandemic
3. Walmart Cyber Monday 2020 deals were just announced: Everything you need to know

The ESA is spending $100 million to clean up one piece of space junk originally appeared on BGR.com on Sun, 29 Nov 2020 at 10:03:23 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Via BRG - Boy Genius Report