K
kelvinzero
Guest
Ideas for removing space debris
I threw this idea out in a couple of space debris threads but it sort of got buried. People prefer to talk about big lasers and big balls of aerogel
The idea is basically this:
Deliberately polute near space with a faint cloud of particles in a retrograde orbit. You dont even necessarily need a special mass budget for this. If the propellent you used for keeping satelites in orbit was of the correct velocity it could also perform this role.
Why is this meant to work?
Such material would only be a minor nuisance to a large object. It would only place high earth orbit objects under the same sort of conditions that LEO objects already have to deal with: A constant friction with a very faint atmosphere that degrades the orbit over time.
It would be far more affective on small objects, because the ratio of surface area to momentum is far greater for small objects. (this is why cannon balls fall faster than feathers, whatever Newton says)
So, simplistically at least, each kilogram of particles you put into a retrograde orbit eventually neutralises a kilogram of dangerous debris even (and especially) if it is distributed in many small particles.
Each particle might orbit for decades before hitting something but that is fine because this is a problem that has to be managed over decades. The aim is to build up an equalibrium so that junk is removed at the same rate it is created so the risk remains constant.
I threw this idea out in a couple of space debris threads but it sort of got buried. People prefer to talk about big lasers and big balls of aerogel
The idea is basically this:
Deliberately polute near space with a faint cloud of particles in a retrograde orbit. You dont even necessarily need a special mass budget for this. If the propellent you used for keeping satelites in orbit was of the correct velocity it could also perform this role.
Why is this meant to work?
Such material would only be a minor nuisance to a large object. It would only place high earth orbit objects under the same sort of conditions that LEO objects already have to deal with: A constant friction with a very faint atmosphere that degrades the orbit over time.
It would be far more affective on small objects, because the ratio of surface area to momentum is far greater for small objects. (this is why cannon balls fall faster than feathers, whatever Newton says)
So, simplistically at least, each kilogram of particles you put into a retrograde orbit eventually neutralises a kilogram of dangerous debris even (and especially) if it is distributed in many small particles.
Each particle might orbit for decades before hitting something but that is fine because this is a problem that has to be managed over decades. The aim is to build up an equalibrium so that junk is removed at the same rate it is created so the risk remains constant.