▁S ling - S at ▁( 4 S ), ▁a ▁gra pp ling ▁satellite ▁which ▁capt ures ▁and ▁e ject s ▁de br is ▁was ▁studied . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁the ▁European ▁Space ▁Agency ▁awarded ▁the ▁first ▁contract ▁to ▁clean ▁up ▁space ▁de br is . ▁The ▁€ 1 2 0 ▁million ▁mission ▁dub bed ▁Clear Space - 1 ▁is ▁sl ated ▁to ▁launch ▁in ▁ 2 0 2 5 . ▁It ▁a ims ▁to ▁remove ▁a ▁ 1 0 0 ▁kg ▁V E ga ▁Second ary ▁Pay load ▁Ad apter ▁( V es pa ) ▁left ▁by ▁V ega ▁flight ▁V V 0 2 ▁in ▁an ▁ 8 0 0 ▁km ▁orbit ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁A ▁" chas er " ▁will ▁grab ▁the ▁j unk ▁with ▁four ▁robot ic ▁arms ▁and ▁drag ▁it ▁down ▁to ▁Earth ' s ▁atmosphere ▁where ▁both ▁will ▁burn ▁up . ▁ ▁Las er ▁methods ▁ ▁The ▁las er ▁bro om ▁uses ▁a ▁ground - based ▁las er ▁to ▁ab late ▁the ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁de br is , ▁producing ▁a ▁ro cket - like ▁thrust ▁which ▁slow s ▁the ▁object . ▁With ▁continued ▁application , ▁the ▁de br is ▁would ▁fall ▁enough ▁to ▁be ▁influenced ▁by ▁atmos pher ic ▁drag . ▁During ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Air ▁Force ' s ▁Project ▁Or ion ▁was ▁a ▁las er - bro om ▁design . ▁Although ▁a ▁test - bed