The universe is full of garbage, "If left unattended, the earth will return to the world more than 70 years ago."What do you mean?

Space development and space business initiatives are being held around the world, and the number of opportunities to see in news is increasing.In 2020, about 10,000 unmanned satellite aircraft launched in space.Currently, about 3,900 aircraft are running, and over 60 % of satellite aircraft have ended their role.One theory is that in the next ten years, more than double this 46,000 aircraft will be launched.

In the future, it is said that the number of people who work in outer space will increase, and if space sightseeing begins, it is not so far away that thousands of people travel to space.On the other hand, as the environmental durability on the earth is shouted, the universe, which will be closer to the earth in the future, will need to be sustained.It seems that discussions have been discussed as "space sustainability" among the universe -related industries, but what is particularly considered to be a problem of reduction and removal of Space debris (space garbage).

Contemporary infrastructure crisis situation

As mentioned above, among the unmanned satellite machines launched so far, more than 6,000 aircraft that have finished their role are just spinning around the earth, and some of the rockets collide with each other.。

スペースデブリを放置し、繰り返し衝突などが繰り返されると、現在稼働している衛星機への衝突・損傷などの事故も増え、最終的に衛星機が稼働しなくなった場合は、「地球上が70年以上前の世界に戻る」と言われています。

This is because all of these operating satellite machines play a role in infrastructure on the earth.Typical time setting, communication, disaster monitoring, GPS, and Google Maps, etc. are all made up of satellite machines launched into space.

The current social infrastructure is a crisis, as these satellite aircraft have some obstacles due to the space debris that is increasing year by year, and if all stops, the satellite will return to the world more than 70 years ago when the satellites had not been launched.You will be threatened by.In other words, in space development that continues to evolve, the removal of space debris is actually an urgent task, and it seems that it must be worked on together.Meanwhile, a company called Astroskale was the first private company to demonstrate this Space debris removal experiment.

According to the presentation held in February this year, the company's development will launch the Space debris removal satellite "ELSA-D" on March 22, and will accelerate further space sustainability in the future.That is.It is also honest that it is hard to imagine for the outsiders even if you listen to the story so far.So, this time, we talked in detail with the company CEO Mitsunobu Okada about the problems related to this Space debris and the future universe that Astroskale thinks.

What is the problem of Space debris and how to remove it?

-First of all, please tell us what Space debris (space garbage) is.

岡田光信さん（以下、岡田）　人工衛星を打ち上げする際は、ロケットで打ち上げ、無事宇宙に届くとロケットの上段部分が廃棄されます。その廃棄されたロケット上段や役目を終えた人工衛星が地球の周りをグルグル回り続けています。また、それらの衝突や爆発により発生した破片も飛んでいます。それらがスペースデブリです。

-How size is it?

岡田　サイズは1ミリ以下のものから、10メートル級の巨大なものまであります。これが秒速7～8kmという東京から大阪を1分で移動するような、ものすごい速さで地球を回っています。このスペースデブリを放置しておくと、衝突、衛星やロケットの損傷などの事故が起きやすくなります。

When the universe is replaced with a highway, there is no road service even if there is a broken car in the middle of the road, and no one will remove it.Because it is so dangerous, we aim to be a business such as a "space road service" that keeps the safety of the universe's orbit.

The "ELSA-D" satellite launched on March 22 is to remove Space debris, but consists of two satellites, capture machines (servicers), and mock debris (clients).

-How do you remove the space debris floating in space?

岡田　スペースデブリを除去するのは大まかに以下のステップを踏みます。

・広大な宇宙空間の中でスペースデブリを見つけ出し、捕獲機を安全に近づける。・回転するスペースデブリに対し、その回転を正確に把握してダンスするように捕獲機の回転を合わせてから捕獲。・捕まえたデブリを大気圏に入れて燃やす。

岡田　打ち上げ時には合体しておりますが、軌道上で切り離し、前述のようなスペースデブリ除去に必要な一連のプロセスを実証します。こういった技術を専門用語でRPO技術（Rendezvous and Proximity Operations Technologies ＝ランデブー・近傍運用技術）と呼んでいますが、将来的にはスペースデブリの捕獲を、磁石とロボットアームによって行います。ただし、今回は実証実験ですので、磁石による捕獲を行いました。

The most important thing is that the capture machine does not create a new space debris

-What are the most important things to keep in mind when removing these Space debris?Isn't the capture failure and the "ELSA-D" itself will be damaged?

岡田　最も気をつけなければいけないのは、捕獲機がスペースデブリと衝突して新たなデブリを生み出さないようにすることです。いかに安全なランデブー（接近と捕獲）を行うかが鍵になりますが、様々な試験やシミレーションを通してやるべきことはやってきました。実証の成功には自信を持っています。

-It's a fairly large business with no precedent.It will be a huge budget, and it is the world's first attempt as a private company.I guess there were various difficulties before reaching here.

岡田　非常に大掛かりで、容易い道のりではありませんでした。スペースデブリ除去の必要性は疑問を挟む余地もないのに、誰もこのビジネスを立ち上げませんでした。アストロスケール設立時に多くの方から次のような疑問を投げかけられましたが、主にこういった厄介な問題が数多くあったからです。

"Who will give money?" "It's a business at the national level," "If damages occur in space, the company will collapse as soon as it occurs." "What is the technology?"

And so on.While clearing these issues one by one, we finally started the launch of "ELSA-D" on March 20.The founding was just one person, and I started up with a funded fund of 20 million yen, but I was so far because of the support of many people.I think that even if one of them lacked one of them, from employees, their families, investors, suppliers, each space agency, the universities in collaboration, the governments, and those who have been supported by the media.increase.

Aiming to accelerate the space road service

-What was the source of motivation that led to this challenge?

岡田　40歳直前で人生の岐路に立ったころ、スペースデブリ問題を知りました。私達の地球上の生活は衛星技術や衛星データに大きく依存しています。スペースデブリによってすでに宇宙が持続利用不可能になっていること、そして誰も解決策を持っていないことを知ってしまったら、選択肢は2つしかありません。知らなかったことにするか、立ち上がるか。……やりがいのある問題だから、私は立ち上がることにしました。

-Finally, please tell us about your thoughts and future prospects.

岡田　「ELSA-d」は、宇宙の持続利用が可能なんだと世界に示す希望です。「ELSA-d」の成功を皮切りに2020年代は一気に宇宙でのロードサービスを加速させていきたいと思っています。

A space debris problem that I couldn't imagine at all until I heard the story.With Mr. Okada's story and the attempts of Astroskale, I was able to know the contents, but it is clear that the development of space road services is indispensable in space development and space business that will accelerate further.I did it.From now on, I would like to pay attention to the company's challenge and Space debris issue.

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