DISPOSAL/RECOVERY OF ORBITING SPACE DEBRIS

摘要

Method and apparatus for elimination of space debris from earth orbit to thus minimize the hazards to space personnel and equipment that are now present as increasing as space exploration and use continues. As a first aspect space debris is collected and deorbited where it is completely burned by the heat developed by the kinetic energy of its reentry through the Earth's atmosphere. As a second aspect, valuable space debris is collected and deorbited in a recovery reentry vehicle (140) and which lands at a designated site on the Earth's surface. A third method includes parking collected space debris in a designated parking orbit at a location well away from traveled orbit zones, including a high, relatively unused orbit sector. A fourth method includes solar and laser energy destruction of the non-valuable space debris while in orbit. A fifth aspect of this invention contemplates ejecting collected, containerized (44) space debris from Earth orbit to an interplanetary orbit that does not intersect any planet of this solar system. The last method is to immediately remove the space debris after any new activities in space.