Active Debris Removal Systems
Author
Isabelle Jacobson
PHYS F211X F06, Fall 2018
Professor David Newman
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Space Debris Removal Systems

Space debris low in Earth's orbit has become a significant threat to current and future spacecraft missions.

  • Space debris can collide with and damage spacecraft.
  • These collisions contribute to the cascade effect of space debris.
  • As a result, space debris has become smaller and harder to detect by current systems.

If you are interested in learning about possible methods for active debris removal and technological methods of detecting and avoiding debris, continue reading »

Orbiting Pulsed Laser

Plasma jets are launched into space in effort to hit the debris and slow it down, causing it to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and become pulverized in the process.10 A space-based laser system is most effective to removing small debris, which is categorized in being between 1-cm and 10-cm in diameter. Pulsed laser orbiting debris removal is more efficient than most other methods of removing small debris due to low operating cost, quick response time, ease of repetition, and ability to work well with recent developments in tracking technology.11