Posted on 12/09/2016 4:23:07 AM PST by csvset
I’d use a tractor beam.
The biggest problem is that a lot of this space junk is traveling at enormous speeds, so is very difficult to catch without destroying the catcher.
One interesting way around this problem is called “the big ball of goo”. A large polymer foam ball that can handle repeated heating and cooling, as well as collisions from high speed junk.
Once in orbit, the satellite inflates a large “balloon” around itself with inert gas, except for its engine and guidance thrusters, then extends tubes that will carry the spray of expansion polymer foam into the balloon.
Once the “big ball of goo” is created, the satellite’s engine and thrusters guide it on an eccentric orbit to cross paths with as much of the space junk as possible.
And once it has collected a large amount of junk, it reenters and burns up in the atmosphere.
A smelter or something. It would probably make sense to start the engineering on the ground with an eye to utility to future purposes as well as the immediate utility. Some sort of “modular” system whereby, for instance, as you pointed out fuel tanks could be used for construction after lifted into orbit.
For years I have wondered why the USA and Russia did not have one of these orbiting the earth, knocking junk out of orbit and toward the earth where the junk would burn up on entry, or fall into the oceans.
Could this be used for the latter? I think space is an interesting frontier of military and political maneuvering that most people don't see.
I have not researched this in depth (and am willing to be corrected if wrong), but dead (uncontrolled) satellites and other debris are effectively abandoned and space belongs to no person or nation. So, it seems to parallel salvage of an abandoned vessel on the high seas. If the abandoned satellite/debris can be identified, the owner can be contacted to see if they want to recover custody (and pay the necessary costs for doing so). If they renounce title, then the salvor is free to do what they want with it. Since these objects are derelict, there is probably no effective way to recover them (by either the owner or salvor) and the proper course of action is to remove the hazard.
This is actually a tremendous business opportunity . Once the technology is worked out, new satellites will probably be required to incorporate a deorbit technology or account for removal as part of program costs. Eventually, some sort of probably UN-coordinated effort will be developed to clear Earth’s orbit of such materials. Spacefaring countries and companies will pay into a common fund and the work will be bid out to companies who have the technology to perform the work.
I don’t know its name, but there was a Japanese anime series based on this concept (contracted removal of space debis from Earth orbit) some years ago. Guess this is the start of the real world follow-up.
Phoenix Rising: New Video Shows Advances in Satellite Repurposing Program
I think what a lot of people are missing is that not everything up there is intact satellites. There are thousands of small bits and pieces from earlier collisions, which then can cause more new collisions, and so on. There was a documentary on one of the science channels recently about this. Even a chip of paint traveling at 15,000+ mph can blow right through a spacesuit.
The cost of getting it up there doesn’t increase the value, it’s up there. And most of it is pure junk, bolts and bits of metal that come off during various transitions in missions. The biggest problem is inertia, the stuff is traveling faster than the speed of sound to stay in orbit, make it hurt bad when it hits something. Also makes it difficult to clean up.
Yes, we once had our own space shuttle. Those were the days, eh?
Commence Operation........VACU-SUCK!!!!
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