No nasa space launches now- partisan fighting and controversies prevent all funding Handberg 7-25

Status Quo Solves

But, he says, the space-junk problem needs more attention. “It’s like any environmental problem,” he said. “It’s growing. If you don’t tackle it now, it will only become worse, and the remedies in the future are going to be even more costly than if you tackle it today.” Potential solution: As previously stated, many scenarios have been put forward to remove unwanted and potentially dangerous space debris from orbit. All of these techniques are, on the surface, unfeasible, beyond the scope of present technology, prohibitively expensive and in some cases would present their own hazard to legitimate orbital objects. GIT’s proposal is to attack the problem using a sub-orbital approach that cannot add to the orbital junk problem. Based on studies done under the Space Defense Initiative in the ‘80’s and on previous anti-satellite studies, GIT proposes a sub-orbital payload lofted to the appropriate altitude that could clear or reduce existing debris from selected areas of low earth orbit. By using a ballistic launch profile, there is no chance of adding to the existing debris problem. The payload would re-enter at the end of its mission, as well as all of its lower propulsive stages. There have been many suggestions to orbit a vehicle to collect debris and then de-orbit the debris using onboard propulsion systems. This is a very expensive approach. It would require all the associated ground control systems that are needed for any orbital missions today. By using a sub-orbital launch profile and existing sounding rockets in use today, a small ground based infrastructure, which presently exists could easily handle the launch load. There are many launch sites all over the world to support this type of mission. Since this debris problem exists for all space faring nations, the task could be shared among all users. Payload: Many payloads have been suggested to de-orbit the space debris. Most collect the debris and then de-orbit, while others such as tethers, would slowly lower the orbits until atmospheric drag takes over to de-orbit the debris. GIT’s approach is to use water, H2O, as the passive payload. It has the highest volumetric efficiency in the payload space. It can easily and predictably be deployed and has significant mass that will be used to reduce the debris orbital momentum. The payload would be launched retrograde to the target debris orbits. The resulting collisions would easily reduce the velocity of the smaller debris. The dispersion pattern of the water in space could be easily adjusted to accommodate the required velocity reduction for the target debris. Widely dispersed for very small objects of interest or narrowly dispersed for a focused collision of larger objects. All of these dispersion techniques could easily be tested here on earth in many test areas or chambers available today.