Space Sails Could Bring Used Rockets Back To Earth

GordonCopestake writes "An article from New Scientist proposes that all new spacecraft have sails attached to bring them back to earth — a measure that would reduce the amount of garbage in space. From the article: 'The risk to spacecraft from a collision with space debris could be reduced by equipping launchers with a gossamer-thin "sail." The idea is to deploy the sail after the rocket has released its payload to amplify the drag of the last vestiges of the atmosphere, and so force the rocket out of orbit.'" Wired has a related story about the risks faced by the space shuttles as they share orbits with tons of drifting space debris. "... in the 54 missions from STS-50 through STS-114, space junk and meteoroids hit shuttle windows 1,634 times necessitating 92 window replacements. In addition, the shuttle's radiator was hit 317 times, actually causing holes in the radiator's facesheet 53 times."

Comments

Choke

[Anonymous Coward]

We should not stop producing CO2. We are gonna need the heat when all the space junk blocks the sun. Why do humans have a need to choke on their own waste? Are we really a bacteria or something?

Re:Choke

[julesh]

Please, go back to YouTube. Your peers there are missing you.

I pray he never learns the word 'sheeple'.

Re:Proud to be White

[Jurily]

Now that you mention it... Maybe we should try launching politicians up there to collect the debris. Or bankers.

Can we build something cheap enough to launch them all?

Where's Scotty when you need him?

[rts008]

Space sails? That's so low tech.

It's obvious we need deflector dishes and shields.

Star Trek has taught us that much!

Space Debris Big Game Hunting Safaris

[PolygamousRanchKid]

Issue licenses to commercial space flight providers. Their spacecraft would be fitted with big-ass laser canons. Rich folks would fork out a few million for the privilege of bagging some space debris.

Each flight would have "Space Hunting Guides & Skinners," grizzled, experienced former government astronauts. The skinner would ensure that there was no smaller junk left over after the kill. It would be burned up in the nightly campfire with a yet-to-be-determined technology.

The guide would say cool stuff, like, "Now you've got to be careful when stalking a Sputnik . . they are crafty little bastards!"