Musk launched recycled rocket to ‘dominate’ space debris

While Croatia struggles with waste management, scientists are trying to solve the problem in Earth’s orbit.

Musk’s company SpaceX launched a recycled Falcon 9 rocket towards the International Space Station, ISS, on Monday. Along with three tons of supplies in the spacecraft’s cargo hold, there is something unusual: an experimental system known as RemoveDEBRIS, which scientists hope will help clean up the upper layers of Earth’s atmosphere from various debris, reports Time.

Space debris is a serious problem in Earth’s lower orbit, where there are currently more than 500,000 pieces of non-functional satellites, spent rocket boosters, and other junk, according to NASA. While many are no larger than a pea, they still pose a threat to satellites and other systems in orbit. For example, in 2015, a stray piece of an old Russian weather satellite forced astronauts on the ISS to find temporary shelter.

>>>SpaceX launched recycled Falcon 9 towards ISS

Scientists hope that RemoveDEBRIS will be helpful in this. Upon the rocket’s arrival at the ISS, astronauts will activate the system developed by the British SSC (Surrey Space Centre) to see how it handles extracting miniature satellites from orbit.

The first test will involve firing a net at satellites, “which is a very flexible option because even if the debris is spinning or has an irregular shape, net capture is a relatively low-risk action compared to using a robotic arm for this purpose,” claims Guglielmo Aglietti, director of SSC. The second test will involve a harpoon, which is “perhaps simpler,” but “a bit riskier because you have to carefully aim at the debris,” Aglietti said.

– Of course, you must avoid fuel tanks.