Lasers Lock on to Cosmic Debris

In the grand scheme of things, 3,000 tons of solid waste isn't a big deal - until you consider that's the amount of junk in orbit, posing problems and hazards for satellites and other space development activities. Cleanup proposals have mostly focused on debris retrieval, but international researchers led by the University of Riken, Japan, are advancing another option to test on the International Space Station. A powerful telescope with wide field-of-view will detect 1 cm-diameter fragments, deemed the most dangerous. A highly-efficient fiber optic-based laser then activates, vaporizing debris and causing orbital decay, followed by burnup in Earth's atmosphere.

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