Space Junk Pays Off: Company Lands $5 Million Contract!

The accumulation of space debris in low Earth orbits is posing a growing threat, with defunct human-made objects such as satellites, rocket fragments, and other waste cluttering the Earth’s orbit. This space junk has become a major obstacle for space agencies and organizations seeking to launch spacecraft and place vital satellites in these orbits. However, while some see this as a problem, others view it as an opportunity. Kall Morris Inc. (KMI), a space tech startup, is actively working to address this issue by removing space debris. Recently, the company has secured significant funding through contracts and investments.

According to a report by Payload Space, the startup has secured $5 million in DoD contracts (US Department of Defense contracts) and private investment. According to the report, the contracts secured by KMI include a $1.5 million SpaceWERX STTR Phase II award (space combat), another $1.5 million SpaceWERX STTR Phase II award (secondary payload attachments) and a Department of the Air Force contract supplement .

KMI gets contracts, investments to remove space junk

KMI Executive Director Liza Fust told Payload in an email: “As DoD continues to develop vital In-Space Access, Mobility and Logistics capabilities to continue to ensure the safe operation of US and allied assets, KMI is working to exceed their expectations for operational excellence on our contracts now and as we build this network in the future for contracts”.

KMI basically works as a garbage cleaning service for rent. It requires orders from commercial companies, space agencies and the government to remove debris or inactive satellites from orbit. KMI also has its own website called Privateer, where those who are interested can check the price they will pay for the removal of garbage. Typically, these are between $1 million and $45 million.

To remove the debris, KMI uses a unique grappling technique in a spacecraft that has claws that can be extended and can grasp an object by grasping. It is then pulled out of orbit and the mission is accomplished.