Space is the latest avenue for commercialization. For many years, satellites handling communications, exploration and scientific experiments were the main residents. But over the past decade, as private space launches have exploded — and as companies have attempted everything from beaming sunlight to building artificial intelligence data centers — space debris has become a pressing issue. Many academic and space agencies have proposed ideas to address this challenge, but so far, none of them have been deployed at scale or succeeded.
Now, a team of scientists is pushing for a rather novel solution. The team hopes to use discarded parts to build new satellites and spacecraft in space, rather than scanning for junk in orbit. Or, in technical terms, on-orbit repair and scrapping for reuse.
If this sounds familiar, that’s because scientists are essentially trying to replicate the well-known principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle. In a research paper published in the journal Chemical Cycles, experts are pushing the idea of a circular space economy. In the simplest terms, materials either discarded as a result of a launch mission or retired from a mission can be captured and reused in new infrastructure. To be clear, the proposal does not require the use of existing post-launch debris pools floating in Earth orbit. Instead, the team is proposing end-to-end solutions for future missions. This means modifying current design principles and engineering to ensure that when space missions leave behind parts or satellites are retired, those parts can be recycled and used to build new space infrastructure. But to realize this vision, a fundamental rethink is needed.
Read more: How to make your phone last longer than you think
How will it work?
NASA sees space debris surrounding Earth – NASA
The “reduce-reuse-recycle” concept proposed by scientists sounds almost like a science fiction movie, in which large ships and floating orbital settlements are abandoned and eventually become targets for recycling parts. First, special attention must be paid to improving the durability and repairability of future space missions. Think of it as discarded battery or engine parts from a cell phone, carefully taken apart to extract valuable materials, which are then used to make new devices.
The whole idea is to reduce material waste, not add to the e-waste pile. Earth’s immediate orbital space is at risk of becoming such a floating garbage dump. In the absence of effective solutions to clean it up, the best solution is to reduce the dumping in the orbital graveyard and use it to build new machines.
“We need innovation at every level, from materials that can be reused or recycled in orbit, to modular spacecraft that can be upgraded rather than discarded, to data systems that track hardware as it ages in space,” said Jin Xuan, the paper’s senior author. In addition to changing the way individual components are designed, the scientists behind this new idea also hope that the space station can become a refueling and recycling center. Doing so would reduce the number of launch missions launched from Earth, thereby reducing the generation of debris. Going further, experts suggest that floating space stations should undertake part of the satellite assembly process, rather than manufacturing all satellites on Earth. A key challenge is collecting waste materials. For this, experts mentioned that giant space nets and robotic arms could come in handy.
Want to stay up to date on the latest tech and automotive trends? Sign up for our free newsletter to get the latest headlines, expert guidance and how-to tips, one email at a time. You can also add us as your preferred search source on Google.
Read the original article on SlashGear.
