The startup company EX-Fusion, based in Osaka, Japan, is attempting to do what was previously thought impossible: remove tiny pieces of space debris using laser beams fired from the ground.
Space debris originates from old satellites and rocket bodies; even tiny fragments a few millimeters in size can cause problems when they collide with spacecraft and operational satellites.
In October 2023, EX-Fusion signed a memorandum of understanding with EOS Space, an Australian contractor that owns the technology used to detect space debris. The plan is for EX-Fusion to place a high-powered laser inside an observatory operated by EOS Space outside Canberra, Australia.
The first phase will involve setting up laser technology to track debris smaller than 10cm. For phase 2, EX-Fusion and EOS Space will increase the power of the laser beams fired from the surface and strike the debris, slowing it down. With their orbital speed reduced, the debris will enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up.
GIA BAO
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