Space junk, so we’d get rid of it with a projectile cannon at 10 km/s

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Space debris is proving to be a problem for platforms like the International Space Station. Here is a new technology that would launch projectiles at a speed of 10 km/s.

Space engineering has grown exponentially as private capital has entered the industry. Currently, projects from NASA, ESA or other organizations plan to carry out new space missions every day. For this reason, it is necessary to establish new models of behavior vis-à-vis the so-called space debris. This type of debris swarms in orbit around the Earth and therefore circulates at high speed. Find out how to get rid of it it is of vital importance.

Research about it revolves around a particular canyon which stands out, mainly, for the simulation of shots at a speed of 10 km/s. This new innovation would mainly aim to be a medium-term benchmark for the destruction of so-called space debris. It is important to specify that we are faced with a proposal that stands out above all for its economic cost and its ease of commissioning all its equipment. It may be necessary to clean particularly damaged areas.

Space junk, after all, becomes a widespread problem. For decades, the interest in this sector made it necessary to put on the table a debate that, sooner or later, would come. Let’s see what the European Space Agency (ESA) thinks about reducing the size of this debris as much as possible, or even eliminating it hundreds of kilometers away.

A cannon to launch projectiles at thousands of kilometers per hour

It’s not the first time we’ve seen how technology of these characteristics can make an impact. We are faced with a proposal that could be created for launch projectiles at a speed of 10 km/s, or what amounts to the same, up to 36,000 km/h. Ultimately, the goal is to reduce as much as possible any likelihood of space debris impacting structures such as the International Space Station (ISS). Now, why is the integrity of this type of structure threatened?

One of the main problems is related to the greater amount of waste and debris present in space. The proposal to send material by private companies caused an increase in the presence of what is called special waste. it can be very dangerous. The International Space Station can withstand impacts from this type of material whose diameter is less than one centimeter. The problem is that there are many objects of this class, numbering in the millions, that have a larger size.

This is not detectable, so you cannot modify the Station’s trajectory to avoid a collision. Given the large volume of waste produced, this could be a good alternative introduce a cannon capable of dispersing matter by destroying it. The implosion launcher (IDL) is 8mm in diameter and relies on shock-compressed helium, at a pressure of five gigapascals (GPa), to launch 0.36g magnesium projectiles. According to specialized portal Universe today.

This is how the ESA super gun works, capable of firing at speeds of 10 kilometers per second

Space debris becomes a problem for NASA or ESA Research and science

One of the main qualities of the weapon you build is its ability to be able to operate using renewable technologies. This is an important step forward, since, in addition, it would have an affordable budget. However, there is still much to be done to eliminate waste in this way. It is expected that in the medium term a technology may be ready which can reduce the size of special waste or even eliminate it completely through a simple process.

Related Topics: Science

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