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JohnDG
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Japanese Space Junk Sweeper

01/22/2014 9:32 AM

Just saw this linked on FB:

http://phys.org/news/2014-01-japan-scientists-tether-space-junk.html

Surely there'd have to be a (magnetically-shielded) return path joining the two ends of the tether? If not, a bit of charge would build up on each end, then no current would flow and there'd be no braking effect.

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Anonymous Hero
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#1

Re: Japanese Space Junk Sweeper

01/22/2014 4:39 PM

So it only collects the Japanese junk?
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PWSlack
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#2
In reply to #1

Re: Japanese Space Junk Sweeper

01/23/2014 9:00 AM

Does junk have a nationality?

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Anonymous Hero
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#3
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Re: Japanese Space Junk Sweeper

01/23/2014 9:29 AM

Absolutely.

Next time something breaks listen to the owner's comments.
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Rixter
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#4

Re: Japanese Space Junk Sweeper

01/23/2014 9:45 AM

I'm guessing that there must be enough free ions around to furnish the return path.
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JohnDG
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#5
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Re: Japanese Space Junk Sweeper

01/23/2014 10:15 AM

That's a lot of ions!

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Rixter
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#6
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Re: Japanese Space Junk Sweeper

01/23/2014 4:29 PM

See page 24:

http://books.google.com/books?id=MpUjqAQHGG8C&pg=PA24&lpg=PA24&dq=satellite+tether+return+path&source=bl&ots=SKGQDWwDaC&sig=0IO8NkbAEOkA-Sl4ob04E4_nfwk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=qojhUun5HfSrsQSp_IGYCg&ved=0CEEQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=satellite%20tether%20return%20path&f=false
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JohnDG
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#7
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Re: Japanese Space Junk Sweeper

01/24/2014 4:44 AM

"The circuit is believed to close via an ionospheric plasma return-path [22]...". Sadly, the reference section was missing, but I found various other references on the 'net giving electron densities of between 1010 and 1012 m-3 "up there", so I guess there are lots of ions around. Who'da thunk it?

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