
Net successfully snares space debris - EwanToo
https://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/net-successfully-snares-space-debris
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craftyguy
Wikipedia has more information about the experiments it is performing:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RemoveDEBRIS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RemoveDEBRIS)

Note that it caught a 'fake' piece of space debris that it launched
specifically for this experiment. I'm curious how it would fare when trying to
snag a real chunk moving at higher relative velocities.

I also had no idea it had a harpoon on it!

~~~
ortusdux
Here is a good mission simulation:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CEH9V9psKY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CEH9V9psKY)

I feel oddly letdown that the harpoon won't be fired at a free floating
object.

I am glad that they are testing a drag sail. It would be nice to require these
in future LEO objects if they prove successful.

~~~
marsokod
In the early plans the harpoon was launched at a moving target. But in
addition to the complexity and the risk associated with that, this prevented
having a close-up look at the target after the operation. A harpoon for debris
removal is only useful if it does not create too many debris and you cannot
really assess how many were generated if the harpoon and it's target are
floating away.

I concur with you in the drag sail. So many LEO projects are planning on using
propulsion for deorbiting, which requires having a fairly working spacecraft.
Drag sails or other deployables do not require a lot of power, are completely
passive once deployed, and make the object even more trackable.

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deepsun
Most people don't realize that any space debris removal tool is actually
considered a weapon, so it's kinda hard to deploy them for real production
usage.

~~~
craftyguy
What? It's only a 'weapon' if you intentionally de-orbit debris with a real
chance of hitting something of value. We have a hard time calculating where
current space junk will de-orbit because we don't control any variables. With
this thing, we would control enough variables to calculate when/where the
space junk will impact the earth (assuming it doesn't burn up..), with
sufficient accuracy that we could (for example) always hit the middle of the
Pacific.

~~~
dragonwriter
> It's only a 'weapon' if you intentionally de-orbit debris with a real chance
> of hitting something of value.

A weapon is a weapon even before it is used in anger.

~~~
craftyguy
> A weapon is a weapon even before it is used in anger.

Only if you use an incredibly loose definition of 'weapon'. I suppose you
think hammers, shoestrings, pebbles, carrots, and and a rotting fish are all
weapons too, since they could cause damage if used in anger?

~~~
dragonwriter
> > A weapon is a weapon even before it is used in anger.

> Only if you use an incredibly loose definition of 'weapon'.

No, by the standard definition. A gun is a weapon even before you shoot
someone with it, it doesn't transform from a non-weapon to a weapon when that
happens.

~~~
lettergram
Based on the standard definition of weapon:

[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weapon](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weapon)

A firearm is not a weapon it is an armament. An armament only becomes a weapon
when it is used to inflict harm.

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Retric
Your link starts with: "A weapon, arm or armament is any device that _can be
used_ with intent to inflict damage or harm." Which is means a bat is a weapon
even if it's never used in anger.

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nickserv
Seems like an important and potentially lucrative project but I'm a bit
worried about its future - what happens after Brexit?

It's lead by a British team, but many of the components are made on the
continent, and it looks like half the funding came from the EU...

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rossdavidh
Well there was a South African university involved in the consortium, so EU
membership was not apparently mandatory for this. But regardless, as long as
the results of the experiment are available, then both the EU and the UK (and
perhaps other friendly governments such as Japan, U.S., etc.) could benefit
from the knowledge gained.

~~~
marsokod
EU membership played a key role in this project though. The consortium would
not have had the same funding from the European Commission if the UK was
outside EU.

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woodandsteel
If SpaceX's BFR is a success, I hope it is used to launch a huge number of
space debris removal satellites.

