Clear Orbit Secure Future 2026

Despite ongoing innovation, the debris-mitigation and remediation sector remains constrained by immature technologies, limited market readiness and insufficient policy and procurement frameworks. The wave of private-sector entrants and commercialization since the 2010s, sometimes referred to as “new space”, has yet to translate into scalable investment or sustained demand for debris-related capabilities, leaving public programmes as the primary source of funding.The challenge is largely circular: without proven and affordable technologies, customers hesitate to commit; without anchor customers or long-term contracts, investors remain cautious; and, without funding, costs stay high and progress slows. A clear business case is needed for generating returns, alongside coordinated public procurement frameworks that can de-risk these early deployment challenges.  3.2 Economy As is frequently the case, a significant part of the overall challenge is economic. For decades, it has been the standard approach to simply leave old rocket bodies and satellites in orbit due to the high cost of removal and lack of clear financial incentives to deorbit them. The most cost-efficient approach currently is to avoid the debris that can be seen, while accepting the damage from smaller objects that cannot. The overall collision risk is deemed low enough by most actors to not warrant more expensive types of intervention or changes in regimes and behaviour. Lack of alignment in the sector means that no single actor wants to take first steps due to the risk of becoming uncompetitive. The risk of collisions with and between large derelict objects has been low enough not to warrant investment in removing these; the cost of adjusting one’s trajectory is relatively insignificant – $560 million for all actors in LEO over the coming 10 years per this report’s findings. While immediate focus on policy alignment and data sharing may lead to the greatest gains, new economic models are essential to fund technological solutions and encourage sustainable activities. Some of the most relevant approaches could include: 1 Insurance: Currently, most space insurance covers launch and in-orbit operations, primarily protecting the asset itself and third-party liability, but it  is increasingly under strain as a sub- sector.9 Reimagining it in new ways to help address orbital sustainability beyond operations, however, could generate new resources to deal with debris, although facing additional practical challenges. Insurance models typically rely on historical data to assess risk and set premiums, which limits their ability to predict risk of potential space debris related losses. The sector also primarily covers launch and initial operations, with limited coverage for A clear business case is needed for generating returns, alongside coordinated public procurement frameworks that can de-risk these early deployment challenges. Clear Orbit, Secure Future: A Call to Action on Space Debris 19