As a future-looking company and a strong supporter of technological
solutions and innovations, Kaspersky is concerned with cleaning near-Earth orbit from debris to
make space exploration safe for coming generations. The company has supported a
startup, StartRocket, in developing a technology that can clean up space debris, and aims to draw attention
to what is a growing problem.
Decades of space exploration has led
to a buildup of debris in space, with more than 500,000
pieces of useless artificial objects being tracked as they orbit the Earth. The
rising amount of debris can lead to dangerous collisions with space vehicles,
resulting in significant damage to spaceships and presents a risk to
astronauts. To make it possible for people to keep exploring space, mankind needs
to reduce this pollution in the years to come, and Kaspersky, committed to
building a safer future, is taking a step today to secure our tomorrow.
Kaspersky is closely monitoring the development of different
technologies and solutions that can help clean up debris from space. One
such business that shares similar values is StartRocket, a startup with big
ambitions to reduce space debris with its own Foam Debris Catcher - a series of
small and autonomous satellites that catch and de-orbit space junk using a
sticky polymer foam. This is done by trapping orbiting debris and then dragging
it towards Earth, so objects burn up in the planet's atmosphere. StartRocket is
currently carrying out a series of two-step experiments both on Earth and in
space, with its first orbital test planned for 2023.
By supporting StartRocket, Kaspersky aims to raise awareness
of space waste, as well as draw global attention to young technological
projects with great potential. Within the framework of the partnership,
Kaspersky has supported the project at the preparation stage, including the
development of technical documentation, as well as providing information
support for the project so that as many people as possible can learn about its
goals.
"As a forward-thinking company, with one eye always on
the future of technology, Kaspersky has long been interested in space
exploration. We understand that while exploring the universe is exciting, it
can come at a cost. That is why we are keen to raise awareness around space
pollution and understand how it can be conquered," comments Andrew Winton,
Vice President, Marketing, at Kaspersky.
"The solution being developed by StartRocket is an
interesting example of how technology is changing and can be used to reduce
space debris. We will watch the company's development and product progression
with great interest and look forward to supporting the cause in the coming
years," he adds.
"The problem of space debris is getting more and more
serious and presents significant risks for current and future initiatives and
technological developments for space exploration," says Alexander Shaenko,
PhD in Technical Science, StartRocket consultant. "In the current situation,
it is important that the scientific community acts together to find the
solution. The Foam Debris Catcher is the cheapest and
most scalable solution. If we compare our solution to the newest ones, the FCD
is going to be much cheaper than alternative options. We achieve these costs by using all possible technologies: step-by-step
launching, high precision mathematical models and Earthly-based infrastructure
that tracks garbage."
As a strong supporter of technological solutions and
innovations, Kaspersky is championing a number of initiatives in the area of
space science. The company has been actively supporting space exploration
by partnering with the Gagarin Research and Test Cosmonaut
Training Center in 2019 -
providing special cybersecurity training for astronauts, as well as the IT
specialists working at the center. Kaspersky has also supported the technology
and space festival, Starmus,
since 2016.
For more information on StartRocket's space debris clean-up
project, please visit: https://securingspace.com/.