From laser beams and wooden satellites to galactic tow-truck services, start-ups in Japan are trying to imagine ways to deal with space debris.
From laser beams to galactic tow-truck services, start-ups in Japan are trying to imagine ways to deal space debris.TOKYO - From laser beams and wooden satellites to galactic tow-truck services, start-ups in Japan are trying to imagine ways to deal with a growing environmental problem: space debris.
"There are simulations suggesting space won't be usable if we go on like this," she told AFP."So we must improve the celestial environment before it's too late." "It's hard to predict exactly how fast the amount of space debris will increase," said Toru Yamamoto, a senior researcher at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency .With satellites now crucial for GPS, broadband and banking data, collisions pose significant risks on Earth.
For now, the project is experimental, but Fukushima hopes to test the idea in space by spring 2025, working with several research institutions. "If a car breaks down, you call a tow-truck service. If a satellite breaks down and stays there, it faces the risk of collision with debris and needs to be collected quickly," Ito explained.