Japan and India cooperate to handle space debris with lasers

(CLO) On December 17, two space startups in Japan and India announced that they had reached a cooperation agreement to research the use of laser-equipped satellites to remove debris in space.

Orbital Lasers, a Tokyo-based company, and InspeCity, an Indian robotics company, said they will explore business opportunities in space, including deorbiting defunct satellites and extending the life of spacecraft.

Orbital Lasers, which is developing a system that uses laser energy to slow down the rotation of space debris, said it will test the system in space and offer the service to operators by 2027. The system could be installed on InspeCity satellites if the companies meet regulatory requirements in Japan and India, according to Orbital Lasers' global business director, Aditya Baraskar.

Illustration: AI

The two companies have signed an initial collaboration agreement to begin research. InspeCity, which is set to be founded in 2022, raised $1.5 million last year, while Orbital Lasers has raised 900 million yen ($5.8 million) since its founding in January.

In late October, a United Nations expert group on space traffic coordination warned of the need for urgent action to monitor and manage objects in low Earth orbit, given the rapidly growing number of satellites and space debris.

More than 100 companies are now involved in the space services sector as satellite constellations expand. Nobu Okada, chief executive of Astroscale, a Japanese space debris reduction pioneer, said this year that the industry is growing rapidly.

This joint project is a prime example of cooperation between Japan and India, the two countries are also working on a joint mission called “Lunar Polar Exploration” (LUPEX), scheduled to be launched in 2026.

Additionally, Indian rocket maker Skyroot and satellite maker HEX20 are also collaborating with Japanese lunar exploration company ispace on future lunar orbit exploration missions.

Masayasu Ishida, chief executive officer of SPACETIDE, a Tokyo-based nonprofit that has been organizing space business conferences since 2015, said Japan-India cooperation in commercial space is driven by Japan's satellite data solutions for disaster management and agriculture in India.

Ngoc Anh (according to Reuters, Economic Times)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/cac-cong-ty-nhat-ban-va-an-do-hop-tac-xu-ly-rac-vu-tru-bang-tia-laser-post326035.html