Russia Secures New Patent to Clean Up Space Junk
Posted: 03 Oct 2020, 07:43
The Russian State Space Corporation (ROSCOSMOS) specialists patented a “net” for catching large space debris, such as spent spacecraft, upper stages, the last stages of missiles, and similar objects.
At the moment, numerous items can be found in orbit around Earth, including fuel tanks and nuclear-powered satellites launched by the US and the former Soviet Union, various bolts and tools dropped by spacewalking astronauts, and many other details.
According to the patent:
"The device is made in the form of a sliding and controlled frame with low-thrust engines located at its vertices, and the large-cell network is made in the form of a cone and fixed by the base along the perimeter of the frame, and its top is attached to the cable system of the spacecraft through a ball mechanism."
After the space debris is inside the frame, the tapes that hold the network from disintegrating are torn, and the object is captured or covered by the network. After that, the frame is folded, thus the space debris ends up in a mesh bag. The inventors have described the principle of operation of their development.
After the space debris is inside the frame, the tapes that hold the network from disintegrating are torn, and the object is captured or covered by the network. After that, the frame is folded, thus the space debris ends up in a mesh bag. The inventors have described the principle of operation of their development.
At the moment, numerous items can be found in orbit around Earth, including fuel tanks and nuclear-powered satellites launched by the US and the former Soviet Union, various bolts and tools dropped by spacewalking astronauts, and many other details.
According to the patent:
"The device is made in the form of a sliding and controlled frame with low-thrust engines located at its vertices, and the large-cell network is made in the form of a cone and fixed by the base along the perimeter of the frame, and its top is attached to the cable system of the spacecraft through a ball mechanism."
After the space debris is inside the frame, the tapes that hold the network from disintegrating are torn, and the object is captured or covered by the network. After that, the frame is folded, thus the space debris ends up in a mesh bag. The inventors have described the principle of operation of their development.
After the space debris is inside the frame, the tapes that hold the network from disintegrating are torn, and the object is captured or covered by the network. After that, the frame is folded, thus the space debris ends up in a mesh bag. The inventors have described the principle of operation of their development.