Shulou(Shulou.com)11/24 Report--

CTOnews.com, June 4 (Xinhua) Space junk is a serious problem troubling Earth's orbit, and if not dealt with in time, it may cause harm to man-made satellites and spacecraft. To solve this problem, a team of engineers at the University of Colorado at Boulder are trying to develop a real "tractor beam", a device that can push or pull a target without touching it. Similar to the science fiction device in Star Trek.

The team's main concept is to use electrostatic force to achieve traction effect. they conducted experiments in a vacuum chamber that simulates the space environment and designed a so-called "electrostatic tractor." the principle is that a spaceship sends an electron beam to a piece of space junk, making it negatively charged, while the spacecraft itself is positively charged, resulting in attraction. In theory, this method can move several tons of objects within a distance of 50 to 90 feet, albeit very slowly, taking about two to three months to move 200 miles.

"We have created an electrostatic force that attracts or repels it," Dr. Hans Peter Shaw, the project leader and director of the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Colorado at Boulder, said in a press release. "it's similar to the tractor beam in Star Trek. it's not that powerful."

The technology is still in its early stages and there is still a long way to go before it becomes a usable prototype in space. But if it succeeds, it will become a sharp weapon for cleaning up space junk and a rare moment for real technology to move towards science fiction in the golden age.

According to Dr. Shaw, geosynchronous orbit (GEO) is a very popular space area because the satellites here can remain in a fixed position relative to the earth. But the area is almost full of space junk. "GEO is like Beverly Hills in space," Dr. Shaw described it.

In addition, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reiterated the seriousness of the space junk problem in a report in March, arguing that a slight push for junk to change orbit rather than removing it completely from orbit might be a more practical solution.

But Dr Shaw and his team believe that using a tractor beam to clean up space junk has many advantages. First of all, it can avoid physical contact with garbage, thereby reducing the risk. "touching things in space is very dangerous," said Kelly Champion, an aerospace engineer at the University of Colorado Boulder and one of the project participants. "objects move very fast and are often difficult to predict."

Second, a tractor beam can also reduce costs because a ship equipped with such a device can move "dozens of objects" over its life. "this can greatly reduce costs," Dr. Shaw said. "No one is willing to spend a billion dollars to move garbage."

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