Startup Tackles Space Debris With New Capture System

Space debris the size of a tennis ball can destroy a satellite when traveling at 7,000 miles per hour, but a new partnership aims to stop these collisions before they happen.

Florida startup Satellite Orbital Access and Removal (SOAR) announced a collaboration with the University of Texas, El Paso, in July to create a passive system that captures small space debris. The technology focuses on objects 10 centimeters across or smaller, which current tracking systems often miss.

"Today the probability of a collision is still pretty low, but the risk is high because the consequences can be severe," said Eric Felt, director of UTEP's National Security Institute and retired U.S. Space Force colonel. "We need to mature the technology to mitigate the impact of small debris before it becomes a crisis."

SOAR was founded in 2025 by Christopher Lee Jones, a retired firefighter and science fiction author. Through writing his book about space debris, Jones connected with astrophysicist Donald Kessler, who predicted in 1978 that growing orbital debris could cause a dangerous cascade of collisions.

The solution is called PODRS (Passive Orbital Debris Removal System), a rotating, multi-panel structure with specialized shielding. The satellites will record each impact, tracking how often debris strikes and measuring momentum transfer.

The Ripple Effect

The timing matters more than ever. Since Kessler first identified the hazard, the number of satellites in orbit has grown exponentially, and we depend on them for everything from GPS to weather forecasting to national security.

European Space Agency models estimate more than 140 million objects smaller than 10 centimeters are currently orbiting Earth. Most tracking systems only monitor debris larger than 10 centimeters, leaving a dangerous blind spot.

The team is now designing the right architecture to make debris capture effective. Rather than trying to clean up all small debris in low-Earth orbit, they'll focus on specific orbits that matter most.

"As we put more and more objects into low-Earth orbit, we become more and more critically dependent on those capabilities," Felt said. The consequences of losing satellite networks are higher than ever before.

While funding for debris removal has been an obstacle in the past, Jones believes demand will grow as risks and collisions increase. The technology could prove essential during conflicts, when anti-satellite weapons could create debris fields that threaten national security capabilities.

The partnership between a startup, a major university, and advisors like Kessler shows that space cleanup is moving from theory to reality.