World-first laser to shunt deadly space junk out of orbit (Australia)

9news.com.au ^ | Apr 8, 2021 | Jonathan Kearsley

[Secret Agent Man]

[algore]

I am confused, does this just heat the debris and shift the orbit, or does it vaporize stuff?

[crosdaddy]

It “shunts”.

[Leaning Right]

(Somebody had to post this. So I stepped up to the plate.)

[Deaf Smith]

“Know your backstop”

[ptsal]

It absorbs dollars that are then attached to junk

[Vermont Lt]

It bumps it. Here’s hoping it doesn’t bump it into something else. Things moving at 20,000 miles an hour don’t usually take well to being bumped.

[Rebelbase]

A chicom first strike target, eventually.

[Reno89519]

Can it likewise dispose of Chinese and Indian satellites? Would be good target practice.

[BiteYourSelf]

Or icey BMs.🤔

[Rembrandt]

I think this laser needs a real world test. I know of a piece of infrastructure by the name of Pelosi and I’d suggest firing this laser at her to see if Satan emerges. The Dems refer to her as a piece of infrastructure. I personally think she’s a piece of.....well, something else.

[gr8eman]

Thanks! You would think the Aussies could find a better way to waste their taxpayer’s money!

[marktwain]

It is using the tech we developed for the Airborne laser on the Boeing YAL-1.

The same method of determining the scintillation in the air and using it to correct the laser beam.

Nice to see it being used.

[Bikkuri]

Real Genius (YT)

[Rocky]

I’m sure they have a way to make sure that no airplanes fly across the laser beam. I’m pretty sure.

[ThunderSleeps]

I’m guessing plan is to hit orbital debis with a high powered burst from below. Flash heat and vaporize the near (Earth) side. This would give a little push up on the debris. Hit it enough times and you either completely vaporize it, or push it out far enough to be harmless - beyond geosynchronous orbit. Of course, the damn thing might just come apart too in the process, producing dozens of pieces instead of one. Making a shotgun blast in orbit instead of a single bullet. Not to mention how much energy needs to be pumped into each target, times how many targets, times what percentage of energy is absorbed in the atmosphere. Talk about global warming....

[Nifster]

Hasn’t been successfully done yet. Still an Rand D wet dream

[SaveFerris]

Seems like they could just launch the sharks into space and let them deal with all of it.

[Salamander]

Like those 21K mph passenger planes we’re going to have, soon?