Researchers from the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Estonia, Sweden, and Luxembourg are developing robotic arms, lasers, and ion blowers to address over 2,700 dead satellites and 54,000 large debris objects.
DEXTER aims to dismantle and recycle satellites in orbit, potentially converting aluminium into fuel, while ALBATOR targets millimetre-sized debris using charged particle streams to nudge fragments into Earth's atmosphere.
Both projects, supported by the European Innovation Council, seek to reduce collision risks and keep Earth's orbit usable, transforming hazardous debris into resources and ensuring safer space operations for future generations.
Can yesterday's space junk really become the building blocks for tomorrow's moon bases?
With orbital debris now a resource, who will win the race to become the first space scrap-metal tycoon?
Could a cascade of collisions in orbit create a debris cage, trapping humanity on Earth?
Is the toxic fallout from burning space junk a new hidden threat to our planet's ozone layer?
Low-Earth Orbit is the new 'Wild West.' Can nations agree on laws before a catastrophic crash occurs?