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Dealing with Space Junk

The meeting covered technical issues with presentation equipment before delving into a discussion on space debris, its dangers, and potential solutions. Various methods for capturing and removing space debris were explored, including the use of nets, harpoons, magnetic capture, and lasers, with a focus on ongoing missions and projects by space agencies and private companies.

Bob Primak introduced the topic of the European Union's Space Claw market and its focus on space debris removal. He discussed the issue of space debris, including its origin, dangers, and potential solutions. He highlighted the increasing number of satellites in Earth's orbit and the risk of collisions, which could create a chain reaction leading to the Kessler syndrome. Bob also mentioned ongoing efforts to address the problem, such as the European Space Agency's contract with Clearspace to retrieve a piece of rocket debris. He then introduced a video featuring Professor Danielle Wood from MIT, who challenged the audience to find solutions to the space debris problem. The video emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing this issue. The discussion also touched on the similarities between the space debris problem and the issue of junk in the oceans, and the potential impact of solar activity on satellite orbits.

Bob discussed the importance of space debris removal and the potential methods to achieve this. He presented a video on several possible ways to capture space debris, including the use of a claw, magnetic capture, a tethered harpoon, a weighted net casting system, and a laser broom. He mentioned that the cost of these methods is high, but they are aimed at protecting high-value assets. Ted added that the biggest challenges are the unknown orbits of satellites and the potential for head-on collisions, which can produce a large amount of debris. They discussed the fuel requirements for changing the altitudes of satellites.

Bob discussed the Blue Mission, a European Union-led project designed to test techniques for debris removal from orbit. The mission will deploy a net and an harpoon to capture a target, with the goal of demonstrating successful capture in space. He added that the early idea was to use metal arms like claws, but it turned out debris could get between them, leading to the use of nets and harpoons. He also mentioned that there have been demonstrations of actual captures in orbit. John raised concerns about the speed of the methods and the difficulty of capturing non-magnetic debris. Ted shared an example of an experiment in the early Space Age that could have been disastrous if fully deployed, involving the creation of an artificial ionosphere.

Bob discussed the success of the 14th Spacex Cargo Resupply Mission to the International Space Station, highlighting the removal of space debris. He also discussed the use of magnetic capture technology by Astroscale, a company that has successfully tested this method. He raised a physics question about the effect of releasing a smaller mass satellite on a larger one, which was answered by Ted and others. They also mentioned the potential for controlled reentries using magnetic capture. Lastly, they touched on the new concepts from Astroscale, including the Elsa M. Mission.

Bob discussed the importance of space sustainability and the need to address the space debris problem. He highlighted the partnership between ESI, Astroscale, and other major partners to deliver the mission. Bob also mentioned the European Space Agency's and UK Space Agency's support for the mission. He emphasized the need for end-to-end thinking, from design and launch to the end of life of satellites. He also mentioned the upcoming LSRAM mission, which will capture and de-orbit a 1Web satellite, and the plan to develop a service for commercial satellite operators. He concluded by stating that the LCRM project is at the cutting edge and is crucial for space sustainability.

Bob discussed the challenges and potential solutions for space debris, including the use of lasers to deflect objects. Ted shared his knowledge about ground-based lasers and their potential for space debris removal. The group also discussed the energy requirements for laser-based solutions.