2 ms·
Sending up a whole rocket/"catcher" for every single bit of space debris you want to deorbit cannot possibly work. What other options are there?
by mrguyorama 3y ago
Sending up a whole rocket/"catcher" for every single bit of space debris you want to deorbit cannot possibly work.
What other options are there?
- keyworkorange 3y agoI wonder if we couldn't "harpoon" debris with lower cost tethers like the ones tested on TEPCE, but optimized for drag rather than power generation? [PDF Warning] https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD1161973.pdf https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD1161973.pdf
- yencabulator 3y agoTheir goal is to develop a reusable craft, this is a single-use prototype. I don't think they've published any concrete plans for how they'll achieve reusability. Maybe a future version of the catcher would have a large/refillable gas tank that lets it catch things, change their trajectory just enough to hasten their descent, and then continue on mission? A no-fuel way to drag things down would be even better, like the sibling comment talks about tethers. Imagine a catcher that attaches a tether line that slows down LEO objects purely by drag. Adjusting orbits to match multiple satellites is a tough requirement, with a heavy delta-V cost. Especially more so if it needs to get to a deorbiting trajectory in between each catch.
- the_third_wave 3y agoWhy, MegaMaid™ [1] of course! [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7aeWQCF1jM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7aeWQCF1jM