China Launches Robot Prototype ‘NEO-01’ Clear Space Debris
- The Chinese government has launched a robot prototype named as ‘NEO-01’, in the Earth’s low orbit on April 27, 2021 on its Long March 6 rocket.
- The 30kg robot prototype has been developed by Shenzhen-based space mining start-up ‘Origin Space’.
- Main Purpose: to observe small celestial bodies in deep space and to experiment with space debris removal techniques.
- NEO-01 will use large net to capture debris left behind by other spacecraft and then burn it using its electric propulsion system.