Space junk is a problem. The European Space Agency estimates there are about 170 million pieces of debris orbiting the Earth. Apart from dead satellites, there are also spent rocket boosters and bits of machinery scattered by accidental collisions. Even the tiniest piece of cosmic junk poses an enormous threat to other satellites and spacecraft.
Bob Larson
These collisions are dangerous for manned space flights, but could also impact our daily lives. We rely on satellites for essential information like weather forecasts, communications and GPS. Today, we have nearly 2,000 live satellites in space and over 3,000 failed ones.
The self-destructing robot to be launched by the ESA is using a fresh approach to cleaning the space junk yard. The proposed ClearSpace One robot will take the first step in reducing this waste land of junk around the Earth’s upper atmosphere. The four-armed robot will collect the debris before returning to Earth, where both the robot and junk will burn up in the atmosphere. Work on the project will begin in early 2020 followed by a series of tests at low orbit before an official launch in 2025.
If all goes well, follow-up missions will target larger objects, before eventually trying to remove multiple pieces of junk at once.
For years, NASA, ESA, and other space agencies have been studying debris removal technologies. Some of the ideas proposed include using nets to gather junk, harpoons to spear and retrieve objects, and robotic arms. Japanese scientists are now developing a type of satellite that uses magnets to catch and destroy debris. Just last year, an experimental device designed in the UK successfully cast a net around a dummy satellite.
This is another great use of technology to improve our planet.
~ Bob Larson is a technologist and Marketing Director for 50 Plus Media Solutions.