Goodbye Envisat, or legal issues associated with the threat of a massive space debris

[LongTomH]

5. The Space Studies Insititute did a study years ago.....

....for a small, ion-drive spacecraft that could rendezvous with space junk and deorbit it. For smaller chunks, a block of plastic foam or aerogel could envelop the object, actually objects, since this spacecraft was intended to have the capability to rendezvous with multiple objects before re-entering the atmosphere.

A spacecraft, like the SSI envisions could be produced, very quickly, from off the shelf components. Ion thrusters are technology available today.



Satellites should be designed to deorbit themselves; but, I think a spacecraft like the SSI concept may be necessary.