The issue of space debris has evolved into a significant concern as the Space Age has unfolded. While this era has opened up new frontiers and allowed us to explore the vastness of space, the exponential increase in the number of satellites over the past century has exacerbated the challenge of dealing with space junk. Addressing this issue, a Japanese company is contemplating the use of lasers as a means to eliminate space debris.
Before delving into the laser-based solution, it’s essential to define what space junk entails. The term “space junk” primarily refers to the remnants of defunct satellites that persist in orbit around Earth. These are essentially the remnants or ‘skeletons’ of once state-of-the-art machines crafted by humanity. The proliferation of these defunct satellites has led to a congestion of Earth’s orbits, resulting in thousands of such satellites currently drifting seemingly aimlessly in space.
These abandoned satellites and other fragments of non-functional machinery present a tangible threat to operational satellites. The risk lies in the potential collisions between operational and defunct satellites. A collision with a non-functional satellite can inflict substantial damage on a functioning one, considering the high speeds at which satellites typically traverse space, often reaching speeds of hundreds of kilometers per minute.
In response to this challenge, a Japanese company is exploring the utilization of lasers to address the space debris predicament. This innovative approach seeks to actively eliminate or mitigate the impact of space junk, marking a potential breakthrough in the ongoing efforts to manage the growing issue of orbital debris surrounding our planet.
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