Private firms aim to commercialize space junk cleaning by 2027

Portal Space Systems and Paladin Space announced a joint plan to offer Debris Removal as a Service (DRAAS) to remove multiple orbital debris objects in low Earth orbit, using Portal’s maneuverable Starburst spacecraft and Paladin’s Triton imaging/capture payload. Starburst-1 is slated for a late-2026 SpaceX Transporter-18 mission, with commercial operations targeted for 2027 and backing from a $50 million Series A funding round. The effort aims to make debris cleanup more cost-effective by removing dozens of small debris pieces per mission, as the orbital junk environment—some 130 million pieces strong—continues to threaten space infrastructure.