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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kessler_syndrome http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kessler_syndrome

• brownbat 14y ago
  To save the click through: As the chance of collision is influenced by the number of objects in space, there is a critical density where the creation of new debris occurs faster than the various natural forces remove them. Beyond this point a runaway chain reaction may occur that pulverizes everything in orbit. There was a fun idea for a while to use a powerful laser to shoot at the front end of space debris. The resulting ablation would turn the little nuts and bolts into tiny rockets using their own material as fuel. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_ablation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_ablation See also: xkcd What If? on using laser ablation to propel the moon away from the Earth: http://what-if.xkcd.com/13/ http://what-if.xkcd.com/13/