Method and apparatus for mitigating space debris

A method for mitigating debris released from an orbiting target following impact by an interceptor, comprising:

• placing a satellite in essentially a predetermined orbit about a planet;
• positioning a target at a lower altitude with respect to said planet by extending a tether attached to said target out an essentially predetermined distance away from said satellite such that any debris resulting from intercept of said target experiences a deorbit which is more rapid than the target would assume had the target been orbiting at the same altitude about the planet in an untethered state and the length of said tether being sufficient to cause at least a majority of the debris resulting from intercept of said target to deorbit within 0.5 orbital periods.

A method of mitigating space debris in a controllable fashion, comprising:

• placing a first body of mass M.sub.1 in orbit about a planet;
• positioning a second body of mass M.sub.2, which is subject to producing debris and is of a mass 5 times less than mass M.sub.1, in a lower altitude orbit by extending a tether line joining said first and second body out an essentially predetermined distance away from said first body, whereby said first body brakes said second body such that any debris produced by said second body deorbits at a rapid rate.

A method of mitigating space debris in a controllable fashion, comprising:

• placing a first body of mass M.sub.1 in orbit about a planet;
• positioning a second body of mass M.sub.2, which is subject to producing debris, in a lower altitude orbit by extending a tether line joining said first and second body out an essentially predetermined distance away from said first body, whereby said first body brakes said second body such that any debris produced by said second body deorbits at a rapid rate and said step of placing said first body includes placing said first body at an altitude above 140 nmi.

A method of mitigating space debris in a controllable fashion, comprising:

• placing a first body of mass M.sub.1 in orbit about a planet;
• positioning a second body of mass M.sub.2, which is subject to producing debris, in a lower altitude orbit by extending a tether line joining said first and second body out an essentially predetermined distance away from said first body, whereby said first body brakes said second body such that any debris produced by said second body deorbits at a rapid rate and said step of positioning said second body includes positioning said second body at an altitude of above 140 nmi.