A $100-million effort to remove 750,000 pieces of junk that encircle Earth

With an estimated 750,000 bits of old satellites and rockets circling the Earth at about 8 kilometers per second, a collision could instantly shatter a multimillion dollar satellite

As the satellite industry booms, a Japan-based venture is working to prevent space-debris collisions that could paralyze transport, defense and telecommunications systems.

Astroscale Holdings Inc. is preparing to rendezvous with, capture and dock a test satellite early next year to show how its technology can help clear orbiting junk, Miki Ito, 36, general manager of Astroscale’s Japan unit, said in an interview.

Astroscale is competing in a niche that has drawn urgent attention and funding from companies and governments including those in the U.S., Japan, Singapore and the UK. The venture has raised about $103 million, including money from Japan’s