At this stage do we not have the capability to launch a "satellite catcher" that could catch up to an offending satellite, capture it then de-orbit it by decelerating it's velocity? Also I thought there was an international agreement in place that stipulates how to deal with the stewardship of space junk.
At this stage do we not have the capability to launch a "satellite catcher" that could catch up to an offending satellite, capture it then de-orbit it by decelerating it's velocity? Also I thought there was an international agreement in place that stipulates how to deal with the stewardship of space junk.
No. We have the capability to create that capability. Developing that capability would be expensive, each mission would be expensive, and all with zero commercial payoff. So it would all have to be taxpayer paid. And that means it would require political will. "We gots ta stop the gubment from wastin' our money on more space toys!"At this stage do we not have the capability to launch a "satellite catcher" that could catch up to an offending satellite, capture it then de-orbit it by decelerating it's velocity?
Or some other sort of capture technique, sure.I should think that if you could hit the satellite, you could also deploy a space equivalent of the bird net with four balls in the corners.
Wrong, I'm afraid. Simple is not the same thing as easy.With not very much effort
Like the Titanic had "some issues" with iceburgs.The movie had some issues with science and physics...
No. We have the capability to create that capability. Developing that capability would be expensive, each mission would be expensive, and all with zero commercial payoff. So it would all have to be taxpayer paid. And that means it would require political will. "We gots ta stop the gubment from wastin' our money on more space toys!".
The problem is that to actively remove something from orbit (as opposed to waiting for it to deteriorate and fall due to drag) you have to expend nearly as much energy to slow it down as it took to get it up there. Simply wrapping a net around it won't be enough to remove the problem, you have to launch a rocket up to it and then do a retro burn, bringing it and the rocket back down. Very expensive for no immediate benefit to whoever pays for it.I should think that if you could hit the satellite, you could also deploy a space equivalent of the bird net with four balls in the corners. With not very much effort, you could probably use one of those to trash the solar panels on a satellite. It wouldn't be an instant death for the satellite, but it would be pretty quick. Unfortunately, "fly go boom" is probably easier and seems cooler.
Maybe they need to get another laser broom up into orbit?
The problem is that to actively remove something from orbit (as opposed to waiting for it to deteriorate and fall due to drag) you have to expend nearly as much energy to slow it down as it took to get it up there. Simply wrapping a net around it won't be enough to remove the problem, you have to launch a rocket up to it and then do a retro burn, bringing it and the rocket back down. Very expensive for no immediate benefit to whoever pays for it.
...I don't foresee somebody trying to make a commercial enterprise out of this, although I could see a movie plot with somebody with an orbiting barge that goes and collects old satellites for recycling... kind of a cross between Han Solo and Wall-e.
Not a movie, but TV series "Salvage 1". From IMDB "Harry runs a salvage operation, in which he and his partners reclaim trash and junk and sell it as scrap (or as other things). Harry also has a home-made spaceship which he sometimes uses to reclaim junk satellites." (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078681/). Starred Andy Griffith, Joel Higgins, Trish Stewart.
Not a movie, but TV series "Salvage 1". From IMDB "Harry runs a salvage operation, in which he and his partners reclaim trash and junk and sell it as scrap (or as other things). Harry also has a home-made spaceship which he sometimes uses to reclaim junk satellites." (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078681/). Starred Andy Griffith, Joel Higgins, Trish Stewart.
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