Robots can perform a wide variety of tasks. European scientists currently plan to send a self-destructing robot into space to clean up debris in orbit.
Most people do not even realize there is a lot of scrap and junk in our planet’s orbit.
A Robot to Clean up our Space Junk
This garbage includes old satellites, rockets, and small pieces of metal and paint breaking off.
Cleaning up all this mess is a painstaking task, and one that seemingly can best be completed by a robot.
This mission even has an official designation, as it is called ClearSpace-1.
This mission will see European scientists send a four-armed robot into space.
It is expected that the unit will latch onto space junk and then dive back to Earth, ultimately destroying both in the atmosphere.
A big piece of space debris has been identified as a first target.
It is part of an ESA rocket still floating in space since 2013.
The success of this mission will determine the viability of this approach and potentially pave the way for additional cleanup missions performed by a similar robot.
Space debris accumulation is a problem that has been largely ignored for far too long.
With some pieces moving at high speed and velocity, they pose a threat to other satellites and rockets in space.
Cleaning up this graveyard is now becoming a priority.
Image(s): Shutterstock.com
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