Source: photo.sibnet.ruSpace debris orbiting the Earth is becoming more every day. How to get rid of it, scientists have not yet come up with, but there are suggestions and suggestions. In particular, it is possible to shoot down highly dangerous debris particles with a laser. But where to get a laser gun of such power that the laser would reach the orbit and send the artifacts of cosmic culture that hinder humankind into oblivion? It's simple - we take an optical telescope and modify it. This is exactly the solution offered by the experts of the Scientific and Production Corporation “Systems of Precision Instrument Engineering” (NPK SPP), which is part of the state corporation “Roscosmos”, as
reported by RBC.
About how and where to use a laser gun, Japanese scientists have previously spoken. In particular, they offered to install it onboard the ISS. The idea seemed promising to many Japanese colleagues, and soon experts from Europe and Russia joined in to discuss it. Moreover, the laser gun, as conceived by experts, should be of such power as to evaporate debris particles, and not just send it to fly along a different trajectory.
“To demonstrate the possibility of removing detectable objects of space debris in low orbits, support the proposal of JSC NPK NGN to carry out research and experimental work on the creation of an optical radar system using a solid-state laser and a receiving and transmitting adaptive optical system,” the idea description states .
Representatives of the NPP SPC confirmed the existence of a documented idea, but did not comment on it. The proposal also tells in detail about where to get the laser gun of the required power. It is proposed to remake the three-meter optical telescope of the Altai Optical Laser Center named after Titov. The telescope is under construction. Its main purpose is to monitor outer space in order to track satellites and space debris threatening them. Solid-state generators developed by the St. Petersburg National Research University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics can be used as power sources.
Evaporation is planned using laser ablation. This method allows you to gradually evaporate the substance from the surface of space debris, gradually dissolving it in space.
"A successful experiment will open the way to broad support for this important technical area for the development of outer space safety at the national and international levels," the document says.
Currently, according to the Russian Outer Space Control System, there are about 13 thousand objects of artificial origin in Earth orbit. Seven thousand objects with a size of more than 20 centimeters are moving in low earth orbit (from 160 to 2000 km) and another 6 thousand objects with a size of 20-40 centimeters are in high (from 2000 to 50 000 kilometers) earth orbit.
NASA estimates that there are now approximately 19,000 man-made objects in Earth orbit that can be seen from Earth.
According to specialists of the leading scientific institute "Roskosmos" of TsNIIMash, if in the near future we don’t start solving the problem of space debris, then in a century or two it can make the development of astronautics impossible. The fact is that the entire near-Earth orbit will be so littered with the debris of space technology that launching new systems will be either impossible at all or extremely difficult.
Space debris is generated either as a result of the normal implementation of the launches of Earth satellites into orbit, or after emergencies. Since 1957, NASA has counted about 5160 space missions, of which only
10 are responsible for the appearance of a third of the volume of debris in orbit. In particular, a huge amount of debris was obtained during the destruction of the Kosmos 2251 and Iridium 33 satellites. These satellites collided on February 10, 2009 over the territory of the Russian Federation at an altitude of about 788 kilometers. The satellite velocities were about 7470 m / s (both satellites were moving at approximately equal speed).
More recently, China conducted a special operation, as a result of which the Fengyn-1C spacecraft was destroyed in Earth orbit. This unit destroyed China in 2007. According to representatives of the country, during testing, the possibility of remote destruction of spacecraft in the orbit of our planet was checked.
By the way, about what the threat of space debris could be in the future of the Earth, G. White told in his sci-fi story "Deadly Debris".