T-Minus, the Only Daily Space Intelligence Podcast | N2K Space

Orbital debris remediation as a stepping stone toward asteroid mining.

Written by Maria Varmazis | May 3, 2026 5:00:00 AM

Summary

This week on our Deep Space episode, Maria speaks with ⁠⁠⁠TransAstra's CEO Joe Sercel about their recently demonstrated capture-bag technology aboard the ISS, drawing attention for its potential role in orbital debris cleanup. Debris removal is only the beginning. The real goal is far bigger: asteroid mining as future space infrastructure.

Sercel walks us through how the same capture system designed to safely enclose debris could eventually be used to secure near-Earth asteroids—unlocking access to water, propellant, and raw materials that enable sustained operations beyond Earth orbit.. Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠TransAstra's work.

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