Technologies developed to clean up orbit and enhance satellite longevity

Technologies developed to clean up orbit and enhance satellite longevity
by Hugo Ritmico
Madrid, Spain (SPX) Apr 10, 2025

A Spanish start-up with roots in Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) is developing advanced space tether systems aimed at tackling orbital debris and supporting satellite servicing. The company, PERSEI Space, co-founded by two UC3M researchers, is pioneering electrodynamic tether technology designed to both remove defunct satellites and enable in-orbit support services such as refueling and orbital repositioning.

Currently hosted by the ESA BIC Comunidad de Madrid incubator, PERSEI Space also receives support from the UC3M's C3N-IA Center for Innovation and operates within the Leganes Tecnologico Science Park. Its work is bolstered by funding from the European Innovation Council through projects E.T.PACK-F and E.T.COMPACT.

"Our company was created to address two of the biggest challenges facing the space sector today: space debris removal and in-orbit services. The latter allow us to extend the useful life of satellites and carry out key activities such as refueling, repair and towing of satellites from their initial orbit to their final destination," explains Jesus Manuel Munoz Tejeda, CEO and co-founder of PERSEI Space.

Orbital debris poses a growing hazard to space operations, with fast-moving fragments capable of catastrophic damage and triggering chain-reaction collisions, a phenomenon known as Kessler syndrome. The existing density of debris has already crossed danger thresholds.

To counter this, PERSEI Space is engineering a tether-based solution with three standout attributes: it operates without fuel, can adjust satellite orbits in both directions, and is scalable to suit various satellite masses. Munoz Tejeda adds, "With all this, we can develop autonomous de-orbiting systems, a unique feature of our technology that ensures that the satellite does not leave space debris, even if it ceases to be operational."

The core of their system lies in electrodynamic tethers-lightweight aluminum ribbons that span hundreds of meters. These interact with the Earth's magnetic field and ionospheric plasma to produce the Lorentz force, which creates drag.

"The interaction of the electric current in the tether with the Earth's magnetic field generates a drag force capable of lowering the satellite's altitude, facilitating its de-orbiting without requiring fuel, which translates into significant savings in mass and volume," says Gonzalo Sanchez Arriaga, UC3M aerospace engineering professor and PERSEI Space co-founder.

The company is preparing for a debut demonstration mission scheduled for 2026. This will utilize ESA's Flight Tickets Initiative and European Commission support. The mission payload, weighing 20 kilograms, includes a 430-meter-long tether designed to deploy in orbit and autonomously initiate the deorbiting process over a period of months. Development is funded with 2.5 million euros from the European Innovation Council and involves collaboration with SENER Aerospace, the University of Padua, and the Technical University of Dresden.

This initiative aligns with new European and U.S. regulations that have shortened the allowed post-mission satellite lifespan from 25 years to just five, significantly increasing demand for fast-acting end-of-life disposal technologies.