Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is starting a private space company called Privateer.
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is starting a private space
company called Privateer.
The company has been founded alongside Alex Fielding, who
was a member of the first iMac team and founded “Wheels of Zeus” (‘WoZ’) in
2002 – a company that created wireless location trackers - but it is unclear
exactly what the company will do.
Privateer’s website is currently in “stealth mode”, with
more details to be revealed at the AMOS (Advanced Maui Optical and Space
Surveillance) 2021 conference, which starts today.
Mr Wozniak also shared a short video – a compilation of various
space developments over time with inspirational voice over and music - that
says that it’s “up to us to do what is right and what is good ... so the next
generation can be better together”, alongside other generic platitudes.
Many private space companies, such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX,
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, are attempting
to push space travel for private citizens, such as SpaceX’s Inspiration4
voyage. Privateer, however, appears to be focused on space debris, which is
becoming a major problem around the Earth.
In a press release for a 3D titanium alloy printer, spotted
by Gizmodo, Privateer is described as a “satellite company focused on
monitoring and cleaning up objects in space”, with Mr Wozniak quoted as saying
that “the team at Privateer Space will be able to achieve the affordability and
lightweighting capabilities needed to pave the way for our satellite design and
launch.”
The number of active and defunct satellites around the Earth
has increased from 3300 to over 7600 in the last decade, and that number could
grow to as many as 100,000 satellites before 2030.
Such a substantial increase runs the risk predicted in 1978
by Nasa scientist Donald Kessler: that the domino effect of such an event could
create an impenetrable layer of debris that would make terrestrial space
launches impossible – essentially trapping us on Earth.
Earlier this month, a group of former astronauts,
international space agencies, Nobel Laureates, and government officials across
the world signed an open letter to stop anti-satellite weapons (ASAT) testing
in order to try and hamper this eventuality.
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