Technological Approaches to Debris Removal or Mitigation

Abstract

There is a growing consensus view among experts that an active process to remove unwanted orbital debris will be needed to ensure the long-term viability of key orbits and to ensure the long-term sustainability of space. Unless such a process is undertaken there will be a major threat to the use of space around Earth for satellite communications, space navigation, remote sensing, meteorological services, scientific experiments, and habitats with crews on board. A wide variety of techniques to “remediate” (i.e., de-orbit) orbital debris have been suggested, but none have been proven to be technically or economically viable, and many of these techniques could also be considered to be “space weapons”.

It is important for the Human Race to spread out into space for the survival of the species.

—Stephen Hawking