On April 2, using the Falcon-9 launch vehicle, a Dragon spacecraft with a useful load weighing more than 2.6 tons was launched, which also includes a 100-kilogram collector of the Removedebris space garbage, developed by the scientists of the University of Surrey. Fill with the ISS took place on April 4. In addition to various experiments, with its help the technology of capture and destruction of cosmic garbage fragments will be developed.
According to NASA experts, around the Earth rotates up to half a million objects of earthly origin, which are a great danger to existing spacecraft. Numerous creative solutions to remove this garbage from the orbit of this garbage have not been tested in a real environment.
After unpacking the garbage collector, the astronauts will put him in the Japanese Kibo module, from where through a special gateway with the help of a robotic hand they will take it into space, where it will hold three tests. Cosmic garbage will imitate tiny companions.
During the first test, “garbage” will be removed from the orbit by a special network, which is shot by RemoveDebris. The second experiment is “hunting” for garbage with the help of a harpoon. The “roasted” fragment will be towed from the orbit and lowered into the dense layers of the atmosphere, where he will then burn.
The third way involves the deployment of the sail. Attached to the subject to disposal of the cosmic object, it will slow down its speed, which will inevitably lead to orbit and combustion in the atmosphere.
Source — Spaceflight now