Steve Wozniak, the "tech kid," recently announced that he and former Apple engineering director Alex Fielding will co-foundPrivateer SpaceLater, it confirmed earlier that its development business will be to remove millions of space junk, including satellites and rocket fragments, located in low Earth orbit.
In an interview with TechCrunchSteve Wozniak explained that although many companies are currently investing in cleaning up space debris in low orbit, it is actually difficult for most of them to accurately locate the actual position of space debris in low orbit, so the amount that can be cleaned up is relatively limited.
The Privateer Space project aims to launch satellites equipped with cameras and sensors to capture the precise location of space debris in low orbit, facilitating subsequent cleanup and recovery. Furthermore, the satellites are constructed using 3D-printed carbon fiber, achieving the same strength as titanium alloy, thus providing the ability to withstand impacts in outer space.
Steve Wozniak said that since low orbit is full of various types of space debris, it may not only hinder future satellite, rocket and other launch missions, but may even create the risk of space stations or satellites being hit by space debris during operation.
While the U.S. Air Force's space surveillance system continuously monitors satellite activity in low orbit and detects any impacts from space debris, much of the debris is still too small to be tracked by the surveillance system. Therefore, Privateer Space aims to accurately track the location of space debris by using satellites launched into low orbit.
However, Steve Wozniak revealed that Privateer Space's initial business development was not focused on removing space debris, but rather on creating space maps, which may also be combined with the future expansion of civilian space travel.
