Academic English
Khalifa University
Academic English Research paper
Removing space junks by space laser
Elon Musk’s SpaceX and other space companies are aiming to provide global internet
coverage on earth by launching a constellation of thousands satellites into low earth orbit
(LEO) [1]. However, the increasing number of space junk in LEO will increase the
probability of having additional collisions in the future, as a result Kessler syndrome. The
best solution is to remove space junks by using a space-based lasers that will cause the debris
to burn on earth's upper atmosphere.
Space junk, which is also known as space debris or orbital debris, are artificial objects
that are non-functional. Such debris includes dead satellites from ended or failed missions,
abandoned launch vehicle stages, paint flecks that have fallen off a rocket, or fragments from
random collisions [2,3]. The low earth orbit is a junkyard for orbital debris that has about
19,500 objects while the medium earth orbit (MEO) and the geostationary orbit (GEO) have
1,488 and 2,931 objects, respectively [4]. In addition to that, there are 2000 active satellites
orbiting the earth, 3000 are dead satellites, 20,000 pieces of debris larger than a softball,
500,000 of size of a marble, and millions of tiny debris that can’t be tracked [2,3]. These
junks are travelling at speed around 17,500 kilometre per hour, which is so fast that it
damages a satellite or a spacecraft [3]. Even tiny paint flecks can damage a spacecraft when
traveling at these velocities. In an episode of “Beyond the valley “Arjun Kharpal states that
“there is a growing concern about the impact of so-called space junk” [1]. This shows that
space junk is a serious problem that could end space missions.
Furthermore, there are various types of collision that may occur between orbital
debris that increases the probability of having additional collisions in the future [5]. First,
negligible non-catastrophic, which produces negligible amount of debris that doesn't affect
either the long-term or short-term environment. Second, non-catastrophic, which produces an
amount of debris that is about 100 times the mass of the impacting fragment that only affects
the short-term environment. Third, catastrophic, produces small fragments similar to the non-
catastrophic and large fragments, that affect both long short-term and long-term
environments. The worst-case scenario is the chain reaction also which is also known as
Kessler syndrome [2,5]. It is when more and more objects collide with non-junk objects and
create new space junk until there is nothing left, and earth orbit will become useless. Because
the number of small satellites launched into near-Earth orbit has dramatically increased in the
last 10 years due to the rise of satellite constellations, the probability of having collisions
increased too [4]. If space companies like SpaceX continued launching a satellite
constellation to the LEO before finding a solution, the increasing area of objects in space will
sharply increase the probability of collisions through the years. As a result, the technologies
Khalifa University
Academic English Research paper
Removing space junks by space laser
Elon Musk’s SpaceX and other space companies are aiming to provide global internet
coverage on earth by launching a constellation of thousands satellites into low earth orbit
(LEO) [1]. However, the increasing number of space junk in LEO will increase the
probability of having additional collisions in the future, as a result Kessler syndrome. The
best solution is to remove space junks by using a space-based lasers that will cause the debris
to burn on earth's upper atmosphere.
Space junk, which is also known as space debris or orbital debris, are artificial objects
that are non-functional. Such debris includes dead satellites from ended or failed missions,
abandoned launch vehicle stages, paint flecks that have fallen off a rocket, or fragments from
random collisions [2,3]. The low earth orbit is a junkyard for orbital debris that has about
19,500 objects while the medium earth orbit (MEO) and the geostationary orbit (GEO) have
1,488 and 2,931 objects, respectively [4]. In addition to that, there are 2000 active satellites
orbiting the earth, 3000 are dead satellites, 20,000 pieces of debris larger than a softball,
500,000 of size of a marble, and millions of tiny debris that can’t be tracked [2,3]. These
junks are travelling at speed around 17,500 kilometre per hour, which is so fast that it
damages a satellite or a spacecraft [3]. Even tiny paint flecks can damage a spacecraft when
traveling at these velocities. In an episode of “Beyond the valley “Arjun Kharpal states that
“there is a growing concern about the impact of so-called space junk” [1]. This shows that
space junk is a serious problem that could end space missions.
Furthermore, there are various types of collision that may occur between orbital
debris that increases the probability of having additional collisions in the future [5]. First,
negligible non-catastrophic, which produces negligible amount of debris that doesn't affect
either the long-term or short-term environment. Second, non-catastrophic, which produces an
amount of debris that is about 100 times the mass of the impacting fragment that only affects
the short-term environment. Third, catastrophic, produces small fragments similar to the non-
catastrophic and large fragments, that affect both long short-term and long-term
environments. The worst-case scenario is the chain reaction also which is also known as
Kessler syndrome [2,5]. It is when more and more objects collide with non-junk objects and
create new space junk until there is nothing left, and earth orbit will become useless. Because
the number of small satellites launched into near-Earth orbit has dramatically increased in the
last 10 years due to the rise of satellite constellations, the probability of having collisions
increased too [4]. If space companies like SpaceX continued launching a satellite
constellation to the LEO before finding a solution, the increasing area of objects in space will
sharply increase the probability of collisions through the years. As a result, the technologies
