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Assuming the orbit is and remains stable, the best way to preserve it would be to keep it where it is now. But I'm not sure we can assume that the orbit remains
by marbu 5y ago
Assuming the orbit is and remains stable, the best way to preserve it would be to keep it where it is now. But I'm not sure we can assume that the orbit remains stable in the long term, even if we confirm via observation that the orbit is stable now (few issues I see here includes increasing number of satellites orbiting Moon, asteroid impacts and fly-bys, ...).
- jcims 5y agoIt really feels like we’re not that far away from space tugs that can latch on to a satellite and nudge its orbit to desired parameters. Given that it would have to have a high thrust-to-weight ratio, you could probably push things pretty deep, relatively speaking, into the atmosphere so that they would have a high decay rate while the tug can muscle its way back out.
- fergbrain 5y agoNorthrop Grumman already have the MEV-2, which does just that: https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/12/22380581/northrop-grumman-mev-2-satellite-servicing-intelsat-mrv-docked https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/12/22380581/northrop-grumman...
- messe 5y agoThe issue with latching onto it with something like the MEV-2 is that the LEM, if it's still in orbit, is almost certainly tumbling. That makes an automated intercept / latching-onto non-trivial, to say the least.
- skykooler 5y agoI wonder how feasible it would be to surround it with a coil of wire carrying a strong electric current, to slow its rotation via magnetic induction?
- jcims 5y agoYou might be able to harpoon it with a wound-up yoyo on a stick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKAQtB5Pwq4&t=390s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKAQtB5Pwq4&t=390s