Which methods are conceptualized for the active removal of large, defunct satellites?
Answer
Nets, harpoons, or robotic arms
While the monitoring and prediction of debris trajectories are established practices, the active mitigation of existing large objects remains a complex and costly developmental area. Various engineering concepts are being explored to safely manage and remove massive pieces of orbital junk, such as old rocket stages. The leading proposed removal technologies focus on physical capture mechanisms designed to grapple these inert targets. These mechanisms include deploying specialized nets to ensnare the object, firing harpoons to attach a tether, or utilizing sophisticated robotic arms capable of securing the large satellite before initiating a controlled de-orbit maneuver.
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