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Given how much cheaper and frequent it is becoming to get into space with SpaceX launches. how long until we start seeing high-risk-debris deorbit missions? I
by rurounijones 6y ago
Given how much cheaper and frequent it is becoming to get into space with SpaceX launches. how long until we start seeing high-risk-debris deorbit missions?
I think these would be good candidates for well used falcon stages that might fail since I doubt the payload would be that expensive in hte form of a small'ish, mass-produced, short-life robot that separates from the stage, grabs on to the debrit and pushes. (Yet I know I am glossing over a lot of technical details, still cheaper than what we normally send up).
Robot is disposable and goes down with the debris. Falcon-9 returns to land for the next robot.
But in my super-fantastical dream, the robot would detach from the nearby falcon 9 stage, do the pushing on the debris, then return and reattach to the falcon-9 (Opening and closing fairing) and the falcon 9 brings the robot back.
Refuel and repeat.
- ColanR 6y agoI imagine that we don't have sufficiently precise data to plan far enough ahead to launch a mission that can deorbit the debris.
- rurounijones 6y agoDoesn't need to be debris hours / days away from impact, just general "Yeah, over the course of 10 years, these ones look the most suspect" levels.