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Plan to Recycle $300 Billion Worth of Space Debris
Its hard enough to tackle pollution on Earth, let alone in space. However, the recent NASA UARS spacecraft fall has put the phenomenon of space debris in sharp spotlight.
The agency is talking about using a ground-based robotics system and eventually they hope to set up a satellite servicing station. Smaller particles can be destabilized by firing lasers so that they plunge out of orbit and burn up. The challenge for the future, would be using advanced materials technology to ensure that future space crafts can be easily recycled.
Prudent vehicle design and operation is now needed, with unnecessary launch of satellites curbed. Although cleaning up space provides massive technical and economic challenges, a global effort is needed in order to ensure that space debris can be productively reused.