05-24-2013, 07:37 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-24-2013, 07:37 AM by stevebowers.)
Several ideas for dealing with space junk are presented here
http://www.popsci.com/technology/article...-view=true
I like the frozen mist and the sticky ball ideas, although I guess that lasers and nets will probably be used more often.
One idea I had was a long tube with aerogel inside, filling the central third of the tube. You'd need to orient the tube so that the debris flies directly into the centre, impacting the aerogel, which sprays out into the tube but little or none leaves the ends. Maybe it would be possible to use some sort of snow as an aerogel, so that anything that does leave the tube would evaporate/sublime in the vacuum.
http://www.popsci.com/technology/article...-view=true
I like the frozen mist and the sticky ball ideas, although I guess that lasers and nets will probably be used more often.
One idea I had was a long tube with aerogel inside, filling the central third of the tube. You'd need to orient the tube so that the debris flies directly into the centre, impacting the aerogel, which sprays out into the tube but little or none leaves the ends. Maybe it would be possible to use some sort of snow as an aerogel, so that anything that does leave the tube would evaporate/sublime in the vacuum.