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To: MtnClimber

Wonder what technologies are planned to bring down all the garbage we’ve thrown up into orbit. Even the smallest object could do untold damage to some useful vehicle considering the amazing speeds at which everything is traveling up there.


55 posted on 07/01/2012 11:00:15 PM PDT by stormhill
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To: stormhill
Wonder what technologies are planned to bring down all the garbage we’ve thrown up into orbit.

Oh, you are pretty much screwed.

Cope. Swedes got a laser idea in mind but everyone is pissy about that.

/johnny

58 posted on 07/01/2012 11:04:28 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: stormhill

Except for low Earth Orbit (LEO) none of the satellites will have enough residual atmospheric drag to bring them down for thousands or millions of years. The solar wind and gravity from the sun and moon will pull dead satellites out of circular orbits into elliptical orbits with crossing orbits. It will probably get bad. To bring one down will take more than twice the rocket capacity it took to put it up.


62 posted on 07/01/2012 11:08:28 PM PDT by MtnClimber (To the left wrong is right, down is up and backward is "Forward")
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To: stormhill
A Swiss satellite tackles space debris
64 posted on 07/01/2012 11:08:58 PM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
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