Balerion Senior Associate Aidan Daoussis sits down with Harrison Box, Founder & CEO of Paladin Space, to discuss orbital debris removal. Paladin Space is developing a reusable, multi-capture system for removing fragments of space debris from orbit. The discussion covers debris risk, Kessler syndrome, defense applications, in-orbit recycling, and the company’s planned milestones.
Timestamped Overview
00:00 – Introduction to Paladin Space and the orbital debris problem02:57 – Current satellite congestion and limits of deorbiting systems04:29 – How Paladin’s Triton payload captures multiple debris objects09:03 – Mission repeatability, restocking, and future in-orbit recycling10:47 – Propulsion, fuel savings, and customer value model13:35 – Legal ownership and regulatory issues in debris removal15:22 – Identifying debris origin, material, and ownership17:23 – Customer markets: constellations, space stations, defense, and insurance21:04 – Kessler syndrome and the risk of cascading orbital collisions24:16 – Space warfare, debris weaponization, and plausible deniability29:00 – Scaling Paladin’s response capability and rapid launch operations31:49 – Global space access, AUKUS positioning, and emerging space ecosystems33:31 – Fleet-based debris removal and station-based Triton restocking35:59 – Small debris, large debris, and Paladin’s role alongside competitors37:13 – Founding story, Australia’s space ecosystem, and UK expansion41:40 – Barriers to entry: unknown debris geometry, spin rates, and testing45:47 – Turning orbital debris into feedstock for in-space manufacturing49:30 – Upcoming milestones: ISS Bishop Airlock test and 2027 market entry50:36 – Future orbital infrastructure, data centers, and satellite growth53:24 – Final takeaway: avoidance is not a permanent solution
