Space Sponge

[cosmicwonder]

Has NASA any plans to send up a sponge to absorb some of that space junk that could threaten future missions?

 

[le3119]

I had this idea for a space junk "vacuum", but actually, it would be this robotic Orbit Transfer Vehicle with arms that would collect old satellites in GEOsynch and toss them into a big mesh basket, and then take them off to a orbiting factory for recycling. How about a space glove to catch the junk? <br /><br />The Europeans are tracking over 20,000 pieces of junk that measure 10cm minimum!

 

[lunatio_gordin]

It was more than that. I recall reading a book on NORAD once, where they detected that lost Astronaut glove floating around a few times! (think It's Ed White? not sure...)

 

[igorsboss]

<font color="yellow">robotic Orbit Transfer Vehicle with arms that would collect old satellites</font><br /><br />United Galaxy had a Sanitation Patrol Cruiser working back in 1978. For details, see http://www.snowcrest.net/fox/quark/<br />