Space Junk - make a junkyard / parts store

[holmec]

I had an idea about space junk. <br /><br />Some private company, if they could swing any property disputes, could possibly create an orbital satellite parts store and satellite factory by gathering all the unused space junk orbiting Earth.<br /><br />They could gather the old satellites, dismantle them down to parts, fuel, electronics, and recyclable material. Then sell the stuff. Add in there a possible satellite factory.<br /><br />A business like this could clean up our obital space.<br /><br />Of course there would be lots of technology needed. But with unmanned tugs with ion drives (very versatile and can change orbit with little fuel) to get the stuff and robotics to process the junk remotely, this could be in our future.<br /><br />It seems better than doing nothing with the junk. Why not make a buck. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"SCE to AUX" - John Aaron, curiosity pays off</em></font></p> </div>

 

[mrmorris]

<font color="yellow">"Why not make a buck."</font><br /><br />Well at this time, with current tech, the 'Why not' would be that it would take spending about 500 bucks for every buck made. This makes for a business plan that is somewhat less than impressive. If there is a major paradigm shift in technology -- it might be possible to break even in a decade or three. At that point, <b>Bob's U-PULLIT</b> LEO junkyard may well open for business.

 

[spacester]

I think there's a business angle on this idea. I don't know what that angle is, but my instincts are that somebody is going to jump on the junk market much sooner than most experts predict.<br /><br />It's an old idea, wuz kicked around in old newsgroups in the early 90s. It's one of those ideas that I've had tucked in my back pocket for 5 years waiting for it to come up. It's been a long time since I've seen the space junk idea discussed. IIRC that is, lol.<br /><br />The bottom line in terms of opportunity is the sheer energy invested in all that on-orbit mass. You need to find a way to recover that energy investment. You have literally 'bound' that mass to the planet's gravitational field and the universe really ought to provide some kind of reward, one would think. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />It's good to remember that in terms of delta V, Geosynch orbit is a lot closer to the L points, and even lunar orbit, than it is to LEO. And of course most, not all, of the expensive assets are up there in GEO. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[summoner]

Sounds like the old Andy griffeth/Bruce Boxleiter(sp?) show, I think it was called "Spaceship 1". Same idea, as they made money by picking up very old satelites that were made with a layer of gold film. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:271px;background-color:#FFF;border:1pxsolid#999"><tr><td colspan="2"><div style="height:35px"><img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/htmlSticker1/language/www/US/MT/Three_Forks.gif" alt="" height="35" width="271" style="border:0px" /></div>

 

[steve82]

I think the pilot was called "Salvage" and the series that followed was "Salvage 1" There's even a website:<br /><br />http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Launchpad/9782/salvage1.html

 

[spacester]

HOLY COW<br /><br />I have never ever even heard of that show before! 1979, eh? Um, yeah, I was a busy boy that year, never saw it.<br /><br />Matlock and Sheridan? Classic! <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> Thanks for the link! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[strandedonearth]

Hmm, almost sounds like a lunar version of "BeachCombers"

 

[acid_frost]

I thought i read some time ago and i don't recall where but that some company was looking into some type of robotic device that would somehow collect the debri in space and some how force it to burn up in the Earth. Though it was some time ago and i don't remember who.<br /><br />I like the idea of the whole junkyard idea. Rather interesting, though if they did something like that they should pull it out further from Leo and have some type of yard.<br /><br />Acid

 

[rocketman5000]

when thinking of a junkyard, one should refer to the hubble mission thread and the delta V required to move objects between different orbiatal planes.

 

[quasar2]

i`ve mentioned this idea on here many times. there`s a great thread on www.marssociety.org "clunking our way to Mars". & yes the idea of using L points is good. perhaps even parts of the Lunar Surface as a junkyard. it certainly must be a stable environment. there is a precedent for this when one of the Apollo`s checked out Russian Lunar Probe. the idea On the film "Red Planet" was interesting. as has been pointed out on here, busting it up into smaller pieces is the worst thing to do. i`ve been thinking of a "seti/folding @ home" deal where folks could track their own adopted pieces. also would be kinda like "adopt a highway". <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>