Giving Compass' Take:

• Leo Shvedsky explains how a group of students created and tested a projectile net that captures space debris and pulls it out of orbit to prevent it from interfering with space missions. 

• What are the limitations of this approach? What is the significance of removing debris from space? 

• Learn about space exploration and K-12 education. 

“Space junk,” aka debris left behind from satellites, rockets and other projects, is a growing problem in Earth’s orbit.

That junk poses a very real threat to the International Space Station, the Hubble Telescope and other projects.

So, a British team from the University of Surrey just successfully tested a net that shoots out to capture floating debris.

The incredible new project works by using 3D mapping and an actual harpoon to target space debris and capture it. For this test, the team sent out their own bit of debris.

But what’s the point of ensnaring space junk if there’s no way to bring it back in?

Well, the test showed that the ensnared debris, along with the net itself, will eventually fall into the Earth’s atmosphere where it will burn up before it can do any damage to those in space, or back down on Earth below.

Read the full article about cleaning up space debris by Leo Shvedsky at GOOD Magazine.