CNES Hopes Debris Removal Studies Lead to Something Bigger

摘要

The French space agency, CNES, has awarded two parallel contracts to teams to study ways to actively remove debris from low Earth orbit in the hope that the work will lead to a pan-European and, later on, a trans-Atlantic effort. The two contracts, each valued at 350,000 euros ($455,000) and lasting 18 months, are with teams led by Astrium and Thales Alenia Space. Encouraged by their customer to be inventive in composing their consortia, both have selected partners from outside of France and outside Europe.