Photo Gallery Cleaning Up Cosmic Clutter
"CleanSpace One" (graphic representation): Tens of thousands of little pieces of space junk are already orbiting the planet. But now a project from the poster country for orderliness and cleanliness might get rid of some of it. Researchers at the Swiss Space Center, based at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), recently presented their plans for a "CleanSpace One" satellite, which they hope to launch within three to five years.
Waste disposal in space(graphic representation): The cosmic disposal service will be only slightly larger than the flying objects it targets for destruction. While traveling at 28,000 kilometers per hour (17,400 mph), it will approach and catch its target using a technique reminiscent of the one that sea anemones use to catch their prey. "It sticks out its feelers and pulls its prey to its chest at the right moment," Swiss Space Center head Volker Gass explains.
"CleanSpace One" with its prey (graphic representation): Once the satellites are linked, the dance becomes deadly: The conjoined satellites race toward Earth together and burn up upon re-entry into the atmosphere. One of the most attractive aspects of the "CleanSpace One" project is that it will reportedly be downright cheap. Initial estimates put the costs for its production and launch at 10 million Swiss francs (8.3 million/$10.8 million).
Of course, there are other ideas for how to dispose of space junk. The German Aerospace Center recently reported a successful testing of a high-powered laser system that might even be able to hit space objects that are only a few fingers wide. Despite their miniature size, even these objects can prove dangerous to satellites and the International Space Station (ISS).
An illustration by the European Space Agency (ESA) shows the thousands of objects cluttering space over the North Pole. A recent report of the National Research Council (NRC) states that the amount of junk in space has now reached a "tipping point." The report warns that there are already so many small pieces of space debris that they are in constant risk of slamming into each other and splintering further. When it comes to man's mess in space, lead author Donald Kessler says, we've "lost control."
