Laser broom
Ground-based laser system proposed to remove orbital debris.
A laser broom is a proposed system that uses a ground-based laser to push space debris out of the way of satellites like the International Space Station. By heating one side of the debris, it changes the object's orbit so it reenters the atmosphere sooner. Researchers suggest this method could help prevent Kessler syndrome, a chain reaction of collisions in orbit. Satellite- or station-mounted versions have also been proposed.
Quick Facts
- Target debris size
- 1 cm (0.394 in) in diameter
- Proposed laser type
- 1 megajoule pulsed HF laser
Facts from the source article.
Mechanism
A laser broom is a proposed system for dealing with space debris roughly 1 cm in diameter. When fast-moving debris hits a satellite, the damage can be severe, and the collision itself creates more fragments. The broom works by firing a high-power laser from the ground through the atmosphere to vaporize a small amount of material from the debris. This vaporization produces a tiny thrust that nudges the object's orbit, lowering its closest point to Earth. As it dips into the upper atmosphere, increased drag quickly shortens its remaining time in orbit. The laser fires in pulses to prevent the debris from shielding itself with its own vapor cloud. The power levels involved are far lower than those needed for anti-satellite weapons. Research shows that the debris's orientation and the direction of the ablated material are critical. With a laser guide star and adaptive optics, a ground-based laser could adjust the orbits of dozens of pieces of debris each day at a reasonable cost.
History
After returning from orbit, the Space Shuttle often showed signs of small impacts. The 1990s saw a proposed ground-based laser broom called Orion, with a price tag of $500 million. Another Project Orion, a space-based laser, was slated for the International Space Station in 2003. In 2015, Japanese researchers suggested adding laser broom functions to the Extreme Universe Space Observatory telescope, set for an ISS launch in 2017. The 2014 European CLEANSPACE project released a study on a global network of laser stations for tracking and removing debris.
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