--- description: Find out why ClearSpace-1 is one of the best inventions of 2023 title: ClearSpace-1: The 200 Best Inventions of 2023 image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf0d3a31a3d0db9b1/698a418b47ca38e1913bb401/best-inventions-2023-clearspace-1.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- Oct 24, 2023 # Space Custodian ClearSpace-1 by [Chris Stokel-Walker](/author/chris-stokel-walker/) ## Chris Stokel-Walker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close  An artistic impression of the servicer ClearSpace-1 approaching the space debris object VESPA during the ClearSpace-1 mission to take place in 2026. An artistic impression of the servicer ClearSpace-1 approaching the space debris object VESPA during the ClearSpace-1 mission to take place in 2026.©ClearSpace [Thousands of tons](https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/oct/02/fcc-space-debris-fine-dish-network-satellite#:~:text=Space%20debris%2C%20broadly%20defined%20by,start%20and%20complete%20new%20missions. "undefined") of debris—including old satellites and rocket capsules—orbit our planet. And each new bit of space junk is making it harder for new missions to navigate Earth’s orbit. “The solution is actually quite straightforward,” says Luc Piguet, co-founder and CEO of Swiss company ClearSpace. “Like for highways, you need a tow truck.” ClearSpace has developed a drone with robotic grippers, sent into orbit to capture detritus. Once it’s taken in its haul, the drone slows down its orbiting speed, dropping into the planet’s atmosphere and burning up, junk and all. The European Space Agency has already contracted ClearSpace for a future mission, while a second clean-up has been commissioned by the UK Space Agency. ClearSpace-1: The 200 Best Inventions of 2023 ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","@id":"https://time.com/collections/best-inventions-2023/6326930/clearspace-1/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/collections/best-inventions-2023/6326930/clearspace-1/"},"headline":"Space Custodian","datePublished":"2023-10-24T11:00:35.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T05:11:48.134Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/collections/best-inventions-2023/6326930/clearspace-1/","keywords":["list","franchise","ecommerce","Magazine","best inventions","Best Inventions 2023"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf0d3a31a3d0db9b1/698a418b47ca38e1913bb401/best-inventions-2023-clearspace-1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Chris Stokel-Walker","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/chris-stokel-walker/"}],"creator":"Chris Stokel-Walker","articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf0d3a31a3d0db9b1/698a418b47ca38e1913bb401/best-inventions-2023-clearspace-1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/collections/best-inventions-2023/6326930/clearspace-1/","name":"Space Custodian"}}]}] ```