University of Surrey Harpoons Orbital Test Target at 20 Meters Per Second
Updated
Updated · BBC Science Focus · Aug 16
University of Surrey Harpoons Orbital Test Target at 20 Meters Per Second
1 articles · Updated · BBC Science Focus · Aug 16
Summary
University of Surrey researchers successfully skewered a test target in orbit, demonstrating a harpoon system designed to capture space debris.
20 meters per second is the harpoon’s firing speed, using a barbed spear as an alternative to difficult docking maneuvers with uncontrolled junk.
1.2 million pieces of debris larger than 1 centimeter are estimated to be circling Earth, each capable of seriously damaging working spacecraft.
Other cleanup concepts include gecko-inspired sticky surfaces, robotic tentacles, lasers and 700-meter electrodynamic tethers, but the harpoon has not yet been used on real debris.