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Next question: How do we take care of space junk? It seems like it would be a very expensive problem to fix?

by j_baker 15y ago

16BitTons 15y ago
If you are realy interested, look into NASA's Orbital Debris program. They have a must-read quarterly newsletter: http://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/ http://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/
- lanstein 15y ago
  must-read space debris quarterly newsletter : scientists :: the Masters telecast contains 56 minutes of golf action per hour : golfers (I happen to be in the latter camp)
binarymax 15y ago
That's the problem...there is no viable solution at the moment. I can't even think of where to start, aside from something ridiculous like 'Big Magnets in space!'
- lukeschlather 15y ago
  The laser-based suggestions sound pretty feasible. A laser based on the moon might even be plausible. The key is that you don't necessarily need a lot of energy to bump a piece of debris enough to knock it out of orbit. http://www.spacefuture.com/archive/orions_laser_hunting_space_debris.shtml http://www.spacefuture.com/archive/orions_laser_hunting_spac...
deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
sasvari 15y ago
there might be no patent remedy for this, but there are already several projects in the space pipeline to target at least some aspects of it [0]: The ConeXpress - Orbital Life Extension Vehicle (CX-OLEV) presents the operators of geostationary communications satellites ("comsats") with a pioneering opportunity to extend the revenue-earning life of their space assets by up to 10 years. the most interesting feature to avoid extra space debris with the OLEV would be: removal from the geostationary orbit to a disposal orbit. of course this would not clean up the space junk, but at least some more might be prevented. [0] http://telecom.esa.int/telecom/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=17870 http://telecom.esa.int/telecom/www/object/index.cfm?fobjecti...

Next question: How do we take care of space junk? It seems like it would be a very expensive problem to fix?

by j_baker 15y ago

Next question: How do we take care of space junk? It seems like it would be a very expensive problem to fix?

If you are realy interested, look into NASA's Orbital Debris program. They have a must-read quarterly newsletter: http://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/ http://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/

lanstein 15y ago
must-read space debris quarterly newsletter : scientists :: the Masters telecast contains 56 minutes of golf action per hour : golfers (I happen to be in the latter camp)

binarymax 15y ago

That's the problem...there is no viable solution at the moment. I can't even think of where to start, aside from something ridiculous like 'Big Magnets in space!'

lukeschlather 15y ago
The laser-based suggestions sound pretty feasible. A laser based on the moon might even be plausible. The key is that you don't necessarily need a lot of energy to bump a piece of debris enough to knock it out of orbit. http://www.spacefuture.com/archive/orions_laser_hunting_space_debris.shtml http://www.spacefuture.com/archive/orions_laser_hunting_spac...

deleted 15y ago

[deleted]

sasvari 15y ago

there might be no patent remedy for this, but there are already several projects in the space pipeline to target at least some aspects of it [0]: The ConeXpress - Orbital Life Extension Vehicle (CX-OLEV) presents the operators of geostationary communications satellites ("comsats") with a pioneering opportunity to extend the revenue-earning life of their space assets by up to 10 years. the most interesting feature to avoid extra space debris with the OLEV would be: removal from the geostationary orbit to a disposal orbit. of course this would not clean up the space junk, but at least some more might be prevented. [0] http://telecom.esa.int/telecom/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=17870 http://telecom.esa.int/telecom/www/object/index.cfm?fobjecti...