▁action . ▁Current ▁space ▁law ▁retain s ▁ownership ▁of ▁all ▁sat ell ites ▁with ▁their ▁original ▁operators , ▁even ▁de br is ▁or ▁space craft ▁which ▁are ▁def unct ▁or ▁threaten ▁active ▁miss ions . ▁ ▁Moreover , ▁, ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁any ▁of ▁the ▁proposed ▁approaches ▁for ▁external ▁removal ▁is ▁about ▁the ▁same ▁as ▁launch ing ▁a ▁space craft ▁and , ▁according ▁to ▁NASA ' s ▁Nicholas ▁Johnson , ▁not ▁cost - effect ive . ▁▁ ▁This ▁is ▁beginning ▁to ▁change ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 2 0 1 0 s , ▁as ▁some ▁companies ▁have ▁made ▁plans ▁to ▁begin ▁to ▁do ▁external ▁removal ▁on ▁their ▁sat ell ites ▁in ▁mid - LE O ▁or bits . ▁For ▁example , ▁One Web ▁will ▁util ize ▁on - board ▁self - rem oval ▁as ▁" plan ▁A " ▁for ▁satellite ▁de or bit ing ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁life , ▁but ▁if ▁a ▁satellite ▁is ▁unable ▁to ▁remove ▁itself ▁within ▁one ▁year ▁of ▁end ▁of ▁life , ▁One Web ▁will ▁implement ▁" plan ▁B " ▁and ▁dispatch ▁a ▁re usable ▁( multi - transport ▁mission ) ▁space ▁t ug ▁to ▁attach ▁to ▁the ▁satellite ▁at ▁an ▁already ▁built - in ▁capture ▁target ▁via ▁a ▁gra pp ling ▁fi xture , ▁to ▁be ▁to wed ▁to ▁a ▁lower ▁orbit ▁and ▁released ▁for ▁re entry . ▁ ▁Rem ot ely ▁controlled ▁vehicles ▁ ▁A ▁well - stud ied ▁solution ▁uses ▁a ▁rem ot ely ▁controlled ▁vehicle ▁to ▁rende z vous ▁with , ▁capture ▁and ▁return ▁de