NASA's Interest in Removal of Debris Limited to Tech Demos

摘要

NASA's policy of paying companies to develop technology designed to eliminate orbital debris but not to pay for in-flight demonstrations has space companies searching for new backers. NASA adopted a policy in June 2014 to support development of orbital debris removal technology but not of operational systems. Specifically, the space agency backs projects with Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 1 through 4, which means NASA's support for projects ends once components or prototypes work in a laboratory setting. "At present, there is no viable technological or economically affordable approach that is sufficiently mature to justify technology demonstration," NASA spokesman Joshua Buck said June 8 in an emailed response to a question about the policy.