Fuel-Free Tethers: The Bold New Weapon Against Space Junk

PERSEI Space, a startup supported by the European Space Agency and UC3M, is developing a breakthrough solution to tackle space junk and extend satellite lifespans using innovative space tether technology.

This fuel-free, scalable system uses electrodynamic tethers that harness Earth’s magnetic field to safely deorbit satellites. With a major demo mission set for 2026, this project could transform how we clean up space.

Tackling Two Major Space Challenges

This spin-off company, PERSEI Space, was incubated by the European Space Agency (ESA) and is supported by the Center for Innovation in Entrepreneurship and Artificial Intelligence (C3N-IA) at UC3M – Leganés Tecnológico Science Park. It also receives backing from the European Innovation Council through the E.T.PACK-F and E.T.COMPACT projects.

“Our company was created to address two of the biggest challenges facing the space sector today: space debris removal and in-orbit services. The latter allows us to extend the useful life of satellites and carry out key activities such as refueling, repair, and towing of satellites from their initial orbit to their final destination,” explains Jesús Manuel Muñoz Tejeda, CEO and co-founder of PERSEI Space.

The Dangerous Domino Effect of Space Junk

Space debris is a major threat to the long-term sustainability of space operations. Because debris travels at extremely high speeds in Earth’s orbit, even a small piece can cause serious damage and generate even more fragments. The current density of space debris is already above the threshold that could trigger an uncontrollable chain reaction of collisions, an event known as the Kessler Syndrome.

To get rid of this space junk, PERSEI Space is working on space tethers, a technology with three key features. “The first is that it does not need fuel, unlike other de-orbiting systems. The second is that our technology is reversible; it can serve to both increase and decrease the orbital height. And the third feature is that it is scalable, since it serves a wide range of satellite masses. With all this, we can develop autonomous de-orbiting systems, a unique feature of our technology that ensures that the satellite does not leave space debris, even if it ceases to be operational,” explains Jesús Manuel Muñoz Tejeda.

How Electrodynamic Tethers Work

The system is based on electrodynamic tethers, aluminum ribbons, generally hundreds of meters long and a few centimeters wide, which work by interacting with the ionospheric plasma and the Earth’s magnetic field to generate a force known as the Lorentz force.

“The interaction of the electric current in the tether with the Earth’s magnetic field generates a drag force capable of lowering the satellite’s altitude, facilitating its de-orbiting without requiring fuel, which translates into significant savings in mass and volume,” says Gonzalo Sánchez Arriaga, professor in the UC3M Department of Aerospace Engineering and co-founder of PERSEI Space.

A High-Stakes Demonstration Set for 2026

PERSEI Space is leading a first demonstration mission for 2026, thanks to a launch opportunity facilitated by ESA’s Flight Tickets Initiative and the European Commission. The deorbiting equipment for this demonstration has a mass of 20 kg, and includes a space tether approximately 430 meters long that, once in orbit, will deploy and interact with the ambient plasma and magnetic field, generating a drag force that will deorbit the satellite within a few months.

This equipment has been funded with 2.5 M€ by the European Innovation Council, and in collaboration with SENER Aerospace, the University of Padua and the Technical University of Dresden. The development of the technology could not be more timely, as new European and US guidelines have reduced the maximum time satellites can remain in orbit after the end of their mission from 25 to 5 years.

Commitments to a Cleaner Orbit

The company PERSEI Space has signed ESA’s Zero Space Debris Charter initiative, which seeks to achieve a sustainable space by 2030. The company, in turn, is linked to the UC3M’s Business Creation and Entrepreneurial Development program and also has the support of the Madrid City Council.

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