Answer (1 of 5): Don’t know about the 5 years to deorbit, but it doesn’t seem to be very controversial. Maybe somebody genuinely science-y can address that, but… Is it cost effective? That’s a pretty good question, I think. And a nice candidate for very rough back of the envelope testing. So... Read more
Iridium Communications completed disposal of the last of its 65 working legacy satellites Dec. 28, while leaving open the possibility of paying an active-debris-removal company to deorbit 30 that failed in the decades since the operator deployed its first-generation constellation.
In the 1980s, NASA engineer Robert Farquhar came up with a sly plan to divert the ISEE-3 satellite from its original path to visit a comet instead. Now Farquhar has another big plan for his “baby.”
Nice, but another comment on that subject led me to ponder if the streets would only be cleaned in certain areas that could afford them. Like gated communities using money to avoid mixing with the rabble.
Keith’s Note: NASA is increasingly engaged in understanding the threats posed by collision of human-made objects in Earth orbit as well as naturally occurring threats posed by asteroids – as is evidenced by news in last week. More on DART and orbital debris below. NASA Funds Projects to Study Or... Read more
One day huge space stations will be thrown away and disowned, like countless enormous ships and tankers dupped around the world. Time, my friends, time is all we need.
True, as reliable as an Elon “5 years” you think?
There’s gold in them there orbits…
This could be your man… “More than 30 years ago, Robert Farquhar stole a spacecraft. Now he’s trying to give it back.”
Nice, but another comment on that subject led me to ponder if the streets would only be cleaned in certain areas that could afford them. Like gated communities using money to avoid mixing with the rabble.
One day huge space stations will be thrown away and disowned, like countless enormous ships and tankers dupped around the world. Time, my friends, time is all we need.