---
type: source
title: "Astroscale to conduct first operational active debris removal missions in 2026 with ELSA-M and COSMIC"
author: "Astroscale / Space.com / Frontiers (aggregated)"
url: https://www.space.com/astroscale-space-junk-removal-2026-plan-exclusive-video
date: 2026-03-00
domain: space-development
secondary_domains: []
format: report
status: null-result
last_attempted: 2026-03-11
priority: medium
tags: [debris, active-debris-removal, astroscale, governance, commons-tragedy, regulation]
flagged_for_leo: ["Debris removal threshold (~60 objects/year) as concrete commons governance benchmark — connects to Ostrom's principles"]
processed_by: astra
processed_date: 2026-03-11
enrichments_applied: ["orbital debris is a classic commons tragedy where individual launch incentives are private but collision risk is externalized to all operators.md", "space governance gaps are widening not narrowing because technology advances exponentially while institutional design advances linearly.md"]
extraction_model: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5"
extraction_notes: "Extracted two claims: (1) quantified ADR threshold vs. current capability gap as concrete governance benchmark, (2) FCC/ESA regulatory tightening as evidence of governance plasticity in strong institutions. Enriched existing commons tragedy claim with quantitative threshold data and challenged governance gaps claim with evidence of regulatory adaptation. The 60 objects/year threshold is the key insight—it converts an abstract governance problem into a measurable performance target."
---

## Content
Astroscale's 2026 ADR missions:
- ELSA-M: launching 2026, capable of removing multiple "prepared" inactive satellites (with docking interfaces) in a single mission
- COSMIC (Cleaning Outer Space Mission through Innovative Capture): partnership with UK Space Agency to remove 2 defunct British spacecraft in 2026
- U.S. Patent No. 12,234,043 B2 for "Method and System for Multi-Object Space Debris Removal" — distributed architecture for scalable, repeatable ADR operations

Regulatory developments:
- FCC and ESA now mandate 5-year deorbit for LEO satellites (tightened from voluntary 25-year guideline)
- Global adherence to disposal norms remains lax

Research on ADR effectiveness (Frontiers in Space Technologies, 2026):
- Removal of ~60 large objects (>10cm) per year is the threshold at which debris growth becomes negative and collision risk declines
- Below this threshold, debris environment continues to deteriorate regardless of mitigation compliance

## Agent Notes
**Why this matters:** ADR is transitioning from demonstration to operational capability. The 60 objects/year threshold provides a concrete benchmark for whether debris governance is working. Currently, ELSA-M and COSMIC together remove maybe 3-5 objects — roughly 5-8% of what's needed. The gap between current capability and required removal rate is enormous.
**What surprised me:** The 5-year deorbit mandate from FCC/ESA. This is a significant regulatory tightening. But "global adherence remains lax" — the governance gap applies here too.
**What I expected but didn't find:** Cost per object removed. Economic viability of ADR at scale. Who pays for removing 60 objects/year?
**KB connections:** [[orbital debris is a classic commons tragedy where individual launch incentives are private but collision risk is externalized to all operators]], [[Ostrom proved communities self-govern shared resources when eight design principles are met without requiring state control or privatization]]
**Extraction hints:** The 60 objects/year threshold as a quantitative test of Kessler syndrome governance. The gap between current capability (~5 objects) and required rate (~60) as concrete evidence of the governance deficit. The FCC/ESA 5-year mandate as evidence that governance CAN tighten, but only in jurisdictions with institutional capacity.
**Context:** Orbital debris is the most concrete governance failure in space — the only one with a quantified tipping point (Kessler syndrome). Astroscale is the leading commercial ADR provider.

## Curator Notes (structured handoff for extractor)
PRIMARY CONNECTION: [[orbital debris is a classic commons tragedy where individual launch incentives are private but collision risk is externalized to all operators]]
WHY ARCHIVED: First operational ADR missions + quantified removal threshold (~60/year) provides concrete test of commons governance in space
EXTRACTION HINT: Extract the 60 objects/year threshold as a quantitative benchmark. Compare current ADR capability (~5 objects) to required rate. This is the gap between governance aspiration and operational reality.


## Key Facts
- Astroscale ELSA-M launching 2026, capable of removing multiple prepared satellites in single mission
- Astroscale COSMIC mission (UK Space Agency partnership) removing 2 defunct British spacecraft in 2026
- Astroscale U.S. Patent No. 12,234,043 B2 for distributed multi-object debris removal architecture
- FCC and ESA mandated 5-year deorbit for LEO satellites (tightened from 25-year voluntary guideline)
