This Week in Space 225

The mitigation of orbital debris is an increasingly serious problem that has not gotten enough attention, but this is changing. Commercial companies are addressing orbital debris, and one of them, KMI Space, has flown its experiments aboard the International Space Station, performing over 170 individual rendezvous-and-grab operations. The results are very promising, and the company is moving ahead with ever more ambitious designs. Adam Kall of KMI joins us to discuss their work on the ISS, the goals of the company, and how nature—via the humble octopus and gecko lizards—may have provided the answers for this vexing problem. 

Headlines:

• SpaceX to Build Major Starbase Louisiana with Ambitious Launch Plans
• Falcon 9 Retirement Looms as Starship Prepares to Take Over
• Recovery and Future of Starship Flight 13 Discussed
• Roman Space Telescope Launch Previewed
• Lunar Eclipse Recap and Next Major Eclipse Forecast
• Trump Announces New US Space Academy

Main Topic: KMI Space’s REACH Technology and In-Orbit Relocation

• KMI Space’s Origin Story and Path to the Space Industry
• The REACCH Gripper: Gecko and Octopus-Inspired Robotic Arms
• How REACCH Grips and Moves Tumbling Satellites and Debris
• Real-World ISS Demonstrations and Operational Challenges
• Pivot from Debris Removal to Satellite Relocation as a Service
• Business Model: Transparent Pricing and Customer Targeting
• Future Vision: In-Orbit Collection, Refueling, and Recycling Stations
• National Security Implications and Force-Appropriate Applications
• Technical Details: Materials, Propulsion, and Size Consideration

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• Transcripts: This Week in Space 225 Transcript

Links

• Starbase Louisiana: SpaceX announces enormous $100 billion Starbase launch site
• Starship is coming home! SpaceX loads floating spacecraft onto huge ship in the Indian Ocean
• Goodbye, Falcon 9: SpaceX planning to retire workhorse launcher when Starship is up and running
• Trump tried to scrap NASA's Roman Space Telescope last year. Now it's ready to launch
• Partial lunar eclipse stuns skywatchers with an ‘almost blood moon’. Here are the best photos
• 'It's going to be beautiful': President Trump signs order to create US Space Academy
• KMI Space
• Orbital “Tow Truck” Could Tackle Space Debris Problem
• Active Debris Removal
• KMI Ops Video
• REACCH Solo Capture
• Addressing the Problem of Space Debris With an Orbital Tow Truck
• KMI - The Future, Shepard, and Phoenix