"Planetes" is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Makoto Yukimura. It was serialized from 1999 to 2004 and later adapted into an anime television series in 2003. The story is set in the year 2075 and follows a group of space debris collectors working for the Technora Corporation. Their job is to clean up the increasing amount of space junk orbiting Earth, which poses a danger to spacecraft. The main character, Ai Tanabe, is a rookie member of the team who dreams of becoming an astronaut. The series explores themes of ambition, human relationships, and the challenges of living and working in space. It combines realistic science fiction with character-driven storytelling, making it both thought-provoking and engaging.