A team of scientists from around the world have come together to propose a new method for clearing space debris out of Earth orbit by using space-based lasers to vaporize this orbiting trash.

Annually, earthlings send spacecraft like rockets, probes and satellites into space. It's been going on since the first space satellite, Sputnik, was launched by Russia on October 4, 1957.

Like Us on Facebook

Because of the Earth's gravitational force, these rockets and satellites become part of the gigantic space debris revolving around the Earth and posing a clear and present danger to humans and the new satellites and rockets being launched.

Official figures say the number of detritus in orbit almost doubled. At this rate, space development plans could face a major hurdle unless a plan is formulated for reducing the amount of trash floating around the planet.

This orbital junk can travel at speeds of up to 17,500 miles per hour -- fast enough to cause serious damage to satellites and even the International Space Station (ISS).

Now, a team of scientists from Japan's Riken research institute has come up with an ambitious plan to eliminate this very space debris with the help of space lasers.

The EUSO super-wide field of view telescope developed by the RIKEN research institute in Japan will be tasked with detecting and pinpointing space debris and a Coherent Amplification Network laser will then remove the debris from orbit.

Originally designed as a power source for particle accelerators, the CAN laser can produce a series of high power pulses very quickly thanks to its bundles of fiber optics that work together.

"The new method combining these two instruments will be capable of tracking down and deorbiting the most dangerous space debris, around the size of one centimeter. The intense laser beam focused on the debris will produce high-velocity plasma ablation, and the reaction force will reduce its orbital velocity, leading to its reentry into the earth's atmosphere," said the RIKEN researchers.

Scientists have already started working on their plan and are now deploying a small proof-of-concept experiment on the ISS using a small, 20 centimeter version of the EUSO telescope and a laser with 100 fibers.

If the Japanese scientists succeed, they will have made spacecraft, the ISS and Earth a safer place to live.

TagsResearchers to Use Giant Lasers to Clear Space Debris, Lasers, ISS, NASA, space exploration, space debris, lasers to clear space debris, rockets, probes, Satellites