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 »

Tethered Space Tug (Electrodynamic Tether/EDT)

                 EDT Diagram
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This method of removal utilizes two satellites; a “tug” satellite closest to Earth that is programmed to pull the other satellite, the debris, down to Earth with a cable. While this is one particular method, there are different types of technology in EDT systems that can slightly impact the result of each system on orbital debris. The EDT system technology described in this paper is predicted to have the highest success rate in effectively removing debris.4
 This method of removal was a foundational element to other methods of removal, but research into this method is relatively recent due to the failing of Japanese “capture, repair and removal” systems that proved to be unreliable. What appears to be most reliable about this method is its independency from propellants.4 This means that although the system is low-thrust, it is free of any chemicals, which appeals to the modern climate change movement and will prevent the introduction of more unnecessary materials into Earth’s atmosphere.
While this method does offer more stability and reliability than most other methods, it still lacks full stability. Tethering to large space debris can result in loss of control of the system. The study of motion and the impact of motion on the system would need to be further studied in order to make accurate and reliable predictions as to the precise interaction between the satellite closest to Earth, the cable, and the debris.5