Introduction: The amount of debris orbiting Earth has been increasing for decades. There are currently over 34,000 pieces of space debris larger than 10 cm in size, and more than 900,000 smaller pieces that are too small to track. This poses a significant threat to current and future space missions, as well as to the safety of astronauts in space. In this article, we will review the dynamics of space debris removal and discuss Paladin Space’s innovative technologies in tackling this challenge.
The Dynamics of Space Debris Removal: Removing space debris is a challenging task due to the high speed at which the debris travels, the unpredictable nature of its movement, and the potential danger it poses to spacecraft and astronauts. Traditional methods of space debris removal, such as using a robotic arm or a net, have proven to be inefficient and costly.
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However, in recent years, several new technologies have emerged that offer a more promising approach to space debris removal. One of these is the use of electrodynamic tethers, which work by using the Earth’s magnetic field to generate an electric current that slows down the debris and causes it to fall back into the atmosphere where it burns up.
Another innovative approach is being pioneered by Paladin Space, a space debris removal company based in the UK. The company is developing a new technology called the “Space Droneâ€, which is essentially a robotic spacecraft equipped with a powerful ion thruster that can manoeuvre in space and capture debris using a harpoon.
Paladin Space’s Innovations: The Space Drone is an unmanned spacecraft that can be deployed into orbit to capture and remove space debris. It is equipped with a powerful ion thruster that can manoeuvre the spacecraft in space and bring it close to the debris. Once the debris is within range, the Space Drone deploys a harpoon to capture it and then uses the ion thruster to move the debris to a lower orbit where it will eventually burn up upon re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
Paladin Space’s technology offers several advantages over traditional methods of space debris removal. For one, the Space Drone is highly manoeuvrable, which means it can easily capture and remove debris that is in a difficult-to-reach orbit. It also uses a minimal amount of fuel, which makes it a more cost-effective solution than traditional methods.
Space debris poses a significant threat to current and future space missions, and the safety of astronauts in space. Removing this debris is a challenging task, but with the development of new technologies such as electrodynamic tethers and Paladin Space’s Space Drone, it is becoming more feasible. These technologies offer a more efficient and cost-effective approach to space debris removal, and are likely to play a crucial role in ensuring the safety and sustainability of space activities in the years to come.
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That's it for this article.
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