To help remove junk and rogue satellites from outer space, European company Airbus is developing a gigantic "space harpoon" that is high-tech and efficient.
The Design Behind The Harpoon
The harpoon in development is approximately 3 feet long. While the size of the harpoon isn't particularly impressive, the capabilities of this space object is what will make the difference.
Essentially, this harpoon will be attached to a larger spacecraft that is able to quickly and efficiently approach junk in space. The goal of the spacecraft will be to chase objects and then quickly hurl the harpoon at the items.
The harpoon will be attached via a sturdy tether to the spacecraft so that it won't get lost in space. While in operation, the harpoon will be fired at approximately 82 feet per second toward the junk in space.
"The harpoon goes through these panels like a hot knife through butter," advanced project engineer Alastair Wayman told the BBC. "Once the tip is inside, it has a set of barbs that open up and stop the harpoon from coming back out. We'd then de-tumble the satellite with a tether on the other end."
Wayman added that the harpoon would be easier to use and track than a robotic arm attached to the spacecraft.
The Reason For Creating The High-Tech Harpoon
According to report from NASA in 2013, there are over 20,000 pieces of debris larger than a softball in outer space. If the pieces of junk continue to float around space at high speeds, they can severely damage important satellites in space. The debris could be a threat to astronauts as well.
As the amount of space junk continues to increase, this harpoon might be one of the best chances at removing space debris.
Airbus is specifically designing the harpoon to capture the Envisat Earth observation platform. The European Space Agency launched Envisat in 2002, but it suddenly lost contact with the satellite in 2012.
The Envisat was considered the world's largest civilian Earth observation satellite, and it could cause massive damage if it were to knock into another satellite.
The Development Of The Harpoon
Airbus is currently developing its harpoon in the United Kingdom at the Surrey Space Centre. The company has been testing different versions of the harpoon for a few years now, but it is finally ready to settle on a design. It will also test a smaller version of the harpoon later this year.
