ClearSpace-1

Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Technology

Low Earth Orbit Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV) Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

First debris removal mission by the Swiss startup ClearSpace. Contracted by the European Space Agency, it is designed to catch and de-orbit part of a Vega rocket from Low Earth Orbit using four articulated arms.

Updates

Cosmic_Penguin • Aug. 22, 2025, 5:54 p.m.

NET 2029.



Vega-C

Family:
Configuration:

Vega-C is a single-body rocket nearly 35 m high with that weighs 210 tonnes on the launch pad. As with Vega, its main elements are three solid-propellant stages, an upper stage powered by a reignitable liquid-propellant engine and a payload fairing. Vega-C's P120C first stage replaces Vega’s smaller P80 to provide a significant increase in thrust at liftoff. It is also used as boosters (2 or 4) for the Ariane 6 rocket.

See Details
Specifications
  • Stages
    4
  • Length
    34.8 m
  • Diameter
    3.0 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    3.3 m
  • Launch Mass
    210.0 T
  • Thrust
    2974.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Vega-C
  • Family
  • Variant
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Vega-C
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $48000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    3300.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    2230.0 kg

Avio S.p.A

Avio S.p.A

(Avio)

CEO: Giulio Ranzo Founded: 1908 Successes: 0 Failures: 0 Pending: 24

Agency Type:

Avio S.p.A. is an Italian company operating in the aerospace sector with its head office in Colleferro near Rome, Italy. Founded in 1908, it is present in Italy and abroad with different commercial offices and 10 production sites.

INFO WIKI

Related News

SpaceNews

Major changes approved for ClearSpace-1 mission

Under the new plan approved by ESA’s Space Safety Programme Board, OHB SE of Bremen, Germany, will provide the satellite bus and lead systems integration and launch.

European Spaceflight

ClearSpace Debris Removal Mission Passes Key Milestones

A space debris removal mission being developed by Swiss startup ClearSpace has passed a pair of milestones as part of its environmental test campaign. ClearSpace-1 is an active debris removal mission that aims to capture and deorbit a Vega…

SpaceNews

Target of European debris removal mission hit by other debris

A payload adapter that is the target of a European debris cleanup mission may have itself been damaged by a debris impact.

SpaceNews

ClearSpace books Vega C for 2026 de-orbit mission

ClearSpace has signed a contract with Arianespace to launch its first debris de-orbit mission on Europe’s Vega C rocket in the second half 2026, the Swiss startup announced May 9.

The Launch Pad

ClearSpace Passes First ESA Review Ahead Of First Mission

ClearSpace has begun the procurement of spacecraft components for its 2026 debris de-orbit mission, after confirming its first major program review.

Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV)


Falcon 9
Success
18 hours, 12 minutes ago
Starlink Group 10-44
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
1 day, 4 hours ago
Transporter 16 (Dedicated SSO Rideshare)
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Dedicated rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.


Kinetica 2
Success
1 day, 4 hours ago
Demo Flight (Qingzhou Prototype Spacecraft)
Launch Area 140 - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

First test launch and mission of CAS Space’s Kinetica-2 rocket, with 3 spacecraft on board: * New March 02 (Qingzhou space station cargo resupply …


Electron
Success
3 days, 6 hours ago
Daughter Of The Stars (LEO-PNT Pathfinder A)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1A - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

The European Space Agency (ESA)'s LEO-PNT (Low Earth Orbit Positioning, Navigation and Timing) demonstrator mission will feature a 10-satellite const…


Long March 2C/YZ-1S
Success
4 days, 11 hours ago
Shiyan 33
Launch Area 94 (SLS-2 / 603) - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Chinese satellite reported to be for "space environment research" purposes. Actual usage not known.


Falcon 9
Success
4 days, 16 hours ago
Starlink Group 17-17
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 2D
Success
5 days, 16 hours ago
SuperView Neo 2-05 & 06
Launch Complex 9 - Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Commercial Synthetic-aperture radar Earth observation satellites built by CAST for China Siwei Survey and Mapping Technology Co. Ltd.


Soyuz 2.1b
Success
1 week ago
16 x Rassvet-3
43/4 (43R) - Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian Federation

Note: Payload identities uncertain. Batch of 16 Rassvet-3 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Russian Byuro-1440 (Bureau 1440) conste…


Smart Dragon 3
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
10 x CentiSpace-1
Haiyang offshore launch location - Haiyang Oriental Spaceport

Chinese commercial small satellites by Beijing-based company Future Navigation for providing GNSS augmentation signals services from LEO. They are pa…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 2 days ago
Starlink Group 10-62
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.