US and Australian Startups Partner for Commercial Space Debris Removal Service by 2027
Summary: U.S. firm Portal Space Systems and Australian startup Paladin Space announced a partnership on May 5, 2026, to establish a commercial Debris Removal as a Service (DRAAS) for low Earth orbit, targeting operational deployment in 2027. The service will be built on Portal's maneuverable, refuelable Starburst spacecraft integrated with Paladin's Triton payload, capable of imaging, classifying and capturing tumbling debris objects under 1 meter in size during a single mission.