Japan hopes to deploy a giant net in Earth orbit to sweep up space junk.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Nitto Seimo Co, a fishing net company, are planning to tackle the increasingly hazardous problem of debris that threatens to wreck space shuttles and satellites.
Last year, a U.S. report concluded that space was so littered with rubbish that a collision could set off an “uncontrolled chain reaction” capable of destroying the communications network on Earth.
The thin metal net, spanning several kilometres, will be deployed by satellite and sweep up waste in its path as it circles the Earth. After a journey lasting several weeks, the net will become charged with electricity and be drawn back towards Earth with both the net and its contents burning up on entering the atmosphere.
Hmmmm… seems to me some of the “junk” would destroy the net depending on which direction and speed it was going.
Found by Obtuser.
Actually. I’m doubtful that the space net. baggie, fly paper, whatever, will work. But a thick armored plate, angled downward, to deflect junk that hits it at the speed of a bullet, will burn up in the atmosphere. A net would have to be of some Kevlar construction, to catch most speeding debris. And anything over a certain size, would have to be “captured” by a robotic satellite. And rocket assist reentered back down to earth. Making such debris move valuable than gold, for the cost of the effort.
Maybe they should put a dollar reward value on retrieving the stuff. So “Andy Griffin” like space junk dealers would try their hands at salvaging the skies. And BTW, “Salvage 1″ is another Tv series I wish they’d pull their heads out of their ass, and release on DVD.
BTW. Check out the “Salvage” 1979 Tv movie on Youtube, if you’re curious or nostalgic.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=f12QIjmOJAM
Define the junk as an energy source and the Obama czars will refuse it permits.
As long as they don’t snare any angels or unicorns the religious loonies shouldn’t bitch too much.
#21
Nice idea, but instead of a mass to deflect things down, why not make Satellites Armour Plated and make that plate slanted downwards?
That way, any debris hitting the satellite, would be deflected down, into the atmosphere
“seems to me some of the “junk” would destroy the net depending on which direction and speed it was going”
That would be true in low earth orbit. This is aimed at the communications network devices. Where are they? Geosynch. Where everything is roughly in the same plane near the same speeds.
While the illustration looks fatal, you’d have to reduce each orbiting graphic by a factor of a trillion or more to represent the real danger to scale. You know, for graphic clarity.
Finally, what happens to a paint fleck, glove or bolt that smashes into the net from an opposite orbit? Punches through. Losing orbital velocity. And when that happens…
Am I wrong in thinking that one nation’s space junk is another (hostile)nation’s secret military satellite?
Where’s the B.S meter on this one?
So Japanese engineering folks are going after the space junk problem. They apparently want to be effective at inspecting comets, supplying the space station and other cosmic endeavors as well. They would like to be recognized for these things, and if they actually work, then that’s okay as far as I’m concerned.
If they can solve the space junk hassle in the way they took over the USA car market, I’d say let them give it a try. Threatening asteroids, too, while they’re at it. we’re all watching.