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The research project called RemoveDEBRIS is
an effort to test various space junk removal technologies. The project, which involves a 220-pound satellite in low Earth orbit, is being led by the University of Surrey
In its third test, the project successfully snatched a piece of debris using its space harpoon. The harpoon shot out at 65 feet per second/20 meters per second (0.0007% of the maximum velocity of a sheep in a vacuum) its space-harpoon-claws successfully digging into the target and gaining a firm lock.
Previously, the satellite deployed a net to capture a simulated piece of space junk, and a laser-based camera system was used to locate a floating chunk of space debris. A fourth and final experiment will be conducted in March, when the satellite will pump the brakes by deploying a small sail.
At this point the satellite, and its low orbit loot, will plunge to Earth to burn up in the atmosphere.
The U.S. Space Surveillance Network estimates that around 29,000 objects larger than 10 centimeters are currently floating in Earth orbit, some at speeds approaching 10 kilometers per second, or 6 miles per second.
These bits and bobs can smash into other items in orbit creating even more debris in a cascading Earth enveloping satellite and astronaut destroying shower of doom referred to as the Kessler syndrome, named after Donald J. Kessler who first proposed it in 1978.
Lunar orbit is looking like a better place to be.
Previous Coverage: SpaceX Launches CRS-14 Resupply Mission to the ISS and Space Junk Removal Testing Craft Ejected From the ISS
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 16 2019, @03:23AM (7 children)
All these satellites, stages, wrenches, nuts, bolts and flakes of paint fly on unique orbits, with different speeds. The satellite won't be able to match orbit/speed with more than one or two targets. This means that we have to launch a satellite to each target and hope that it has enough fuel to reach another. We'd need thousands of launches.
One day our space vehicles will have enough energy to change orbits many times before returning to base, and this method will clean the near-Earth space. Today we just hope that the junk eventually burns up in the atmosphere.
(Score: 2) by RandomFactor on Saturday February 16 2019, @03:46AM (2 children)
Aren't we already lasering the crap out of the universe with our current crop of telescopes? Those are perfect for locking onto things in orbit any way. Amp'em up a bit and blast the stuff!
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday February 16 2019, @03:48AM (1 child)
That could make it take longer to deorbit. What you want is a tractor beam.
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(Score: 2) by RandomFactor on Saturday February 16 2019, @04:08AM
When you laze them bits start vaporizing leading to random propulsion from out-gassing. Probably anybody's guess what would happen then. The solution seems to be a bigger laser.
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Saturday February 16 2019, @04:58AM (3 children)
I disagree. It would be better to make one large vehicle, with lots of fuel. Leave it up there, permanently. Give it a refueling capability, so that someone like SpaceX can fuel it up when needed. Let it wander around, collecting debris, one little bit at a time if necessary. When it can't haul anymore (cubic volume capacity, or the mass becomes inefficient for the engines) find a stable orbit to unload it all. Go back to collecting, and bring the next load back to the same spot. Use a net to keep it all contained? Or a huge garbage bag? Some details need to be worked out, but parking all the trash in a common junk yard would make orbital space much safer.
The major advantage is, all that stuff is available. Can't expect anything to be useful, as is, really, but you have lots of raw materials for 3D printers, or whatever else can be dreamed up. It cost a lot of money to get all that crap up there - why just burn it up?
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday February 16 2019, @05:22AM
If we're going to use rocket fuel to grab this junk, we have to use a fully reusable rocket. Welcome BFR, which is supposed to be able to refuel in-orbit. Can it hit enough targets on one tank of fuel to be worth a $10 million price tag? Depends on how much you want that stuff gone.
Actually, ion engines are probably a better idea. Solar power with on-board propellant is more efficient. Slow, but you are just playing a game of orbits. And maybe you can send multiple such craft into different starting orbits with one BFR launch.
We would probably want to focus on the largest pieces of junk, which might actually be useful... somehow. There may be a certain population of debris that is more obstructive to launches. Perhaps the debris is clogging a certain useful orbit (polar, etc.) and is relatively close to Earth but will still take decades or centuries to decay naturally.
If we had EmDrive, that would be perfect. Like ion engines but better. Too bad it's probably fake.
How about this option: a laser array in a higher orbit that uses solar panels to charge and deorbits junk from above. You don't get to reuse the junk, but it would be most effective on stuff like paint flecks anyway.
Where to put the junk if you capture but don't deorbit it? Likely an orbiting space station (on the Moon you can mine things instead). I'm not sure how you would make it useful. Having some kind of a furnace in space melting stuff together would be pretty weird, and possibly difficult and dangerous. Assembling structures directly out of the space junk probably isn't doable unless you're a Reaver.
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(Score: 3, Interesting) by deimtee on Saturday February 16 2019, @06:13AM
I wonder what would happen if you worked out the largest mass that the BFR could lift to 1000km straight up, no orbit burn, just lift and fall. Then get a tank of argon that big, and loft it up. As soon as the BFR stops firing and you hit 150km high you open valves around the tank and start it spinning. A large diffuse pancake shape cloud of argon is going to rise to 1000 km and then fall back to zero. Any space junk that goes through it is going to lose speed. Doesn't matter what orbit the junk was on, if it hits the cloud it will lose energy and fall into a lower and faster orbit and be much closer to burning up.
Would be most effective on the tiny stuff and low orbit stuff but that's where most of the junk is. If you timed it right it would have minimal effect on large satellites.
If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 16 2019, @11:26AM
Runaway1956, emphasis on the 1956, Space Engineer! It's just like
For certain values of "back home".
But let me guess, you do not know which ones? Oh, poor Engineer Runaway1965! We will call you. Don't call us.