How to Get Rid of Space Debris? Here's How Utah Scientists Did It!

Mechanical engineers have devised a way to spin a magnet and manipulate orbiting space trash. This technique could help space agencies act more quickly while removing space garbage or repairing satellites.

The problem of high-speed space debris from decommissioned satellites and before space missions is becoming a problem to space travel as people fly into space more regularly.

The mechanical engineers, led by University of Utah professor Jake J. Abbott, published their study titled "Dexterous Magnetic Manipulation of Conductive Non-magnetic Objects," in Nature.

The University of Utah Explains How to Get Rid of Space Trash

In a statement obtained by Science Daily, Abbott said they made the concept is based on exposing debris to a fluctuating magnetic field, which circulates electrons in metal debris in charged loops. He explained that it is "like when you swirl your cup of coffee and it goes around and around.

This would let space engineers transport the debris to the desired location without having to touch it. What the University of Utah engineers, according to Abbott, do not just shove space debris but by manipulating the thing from Earth. Abbott said no one has ever done that kind of deft manipulation before.

The approach was reportedly created after the scientists tried a variety of magnets on a copper ball that experts placed on a plastic raft in a water tank. Scientists discovered that the magnets could not only move but also rotate the spherical.

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Robots that can either transport trash into a decaying orbit or push it out into space might use this technique, according to scientists, might be used in robots.

The approach could avoid any harm to operational satellites. Another advantage of technology is the control it gives engineers since they could handle delicate items and stop a broken satellite from spiraling out of orbit.

Implications of this Method

While this is useful for removing non-repairable space trash, it might also be used to stop a damaged satellite from spinning. Interesting Engineering said this allows astronauts and engineers to repair the satellite while it is still in orbit, which was previously considered impossible.

UU engineering team is only now beginning to grasp the consequences of their method, and they aren't even convinced they completely comprehend them.

According to Republic World, University of Utah experts believe that NASA will quickly embrace the technology to handle the outer space problem. UU experts explained they do not want to jeopardize the International Space Station (ISS).

Space Junk Explained

Space debris is a major problem and there have been times when two large dead satellites have almost collided, and the International Space Station also were forced to resort to their emergency maneuvers at least 3 times in order to avoid getting hit with space debris. These collisions may be a big problem but the biggest problems are the explosions that take place in orbit due to the left-over energy by the fuel, batteries, and more.

More than 27,000 objects of space debris orbit the Earth, NASA said per Fox13 News. According to the space agency, the debris moves at 17,500 mph. The speed is fast enough to harm a satellite or spacecraft.