16 Feb 2012

Space junk cleaner to tackle debris problem

9:24 pm on 16 February 2012

Scientists in Switzerland are designing a special satellite aimed at cleaning up space.

It has been estimated that more than 500,000 pieces of debris are orbiting Earth at high speed, posing a risk to satellites and other space vehicles.

The scientists hope to launch within five years a prototype cleaner satellite to grapple and collect space junk, which then burns up on re-entering the Earth's atmosphere.