Space junk is getting to be more and more of a problem, but while there have been plenty of serious talks on the subject, the first country to actually go and do something about it may be the Swiss. By 2016, Switzerland plans to launch a “janitor satellite” to start fighting the the space junk problem directly while the rest of us keep twiddling our thumbs.
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CleanSpace One is, as far as we know, the first purpose-built spacecraft designed from the ground up to tackle the space junk problem directly. Costing just under $11 million, it’s simple, cheap, and hopefully, it’ll be effective. At only about a foot on a side and two feet long, CleanSpace One isn’t what you’d call intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be. After launch, the satellite will rendezvous with its target using a new kind of ultra-compact space engine, and once it gets within range, it’ll shoot out some sort of crazy plant-inspired grappling tendrils to grab onto the junk. Once it’s got hold, CleanSpace One will fire up its engine and drag the junk down into the atmosphere with it, burning them both to dust.
via DVICE
February 15, 2012
