Japan sets up net to clean up space junk

Japan successfully launched a cargo spacecraft carrying a tether capable of changing the orbit of space debris.

Japan successfully launched a spacecraft carrying a space junk cleaning device. Photo: AP.

The Japanese space agency JAXA successfully launched the HTV6 cargo spacecraft from the Tanegashima Space Center on December 9. HTV6 is tasked with transporting a large magnetic tether to the International Space Station (ISS) to collect space debris, according to UPI.

"The rocket flew as planned. The HTV6 spacecraft successfully separated after about 15 minutes and 11 seconds of launch," JAXA announced.

Scientists estimate that there are about 100 million pieces of space junk orbiting Earth. Most of them are quite small. However, even a screw flying at high speed through space can cause major damage to satellites and space stations.

The Japanese device is designed to address this risk. It was created by JAXA engineers with the help of researchers from a fishing net company. The magnetic wire is made from thin stainless steel and aluminum wire combined into a net-like device.

The tether will be launched into space by the space station's robotic arm. It will exert enough force to impact the trajectory of space debris, redirecting it toward Earth's atmosphere, where it will burn up.

According to VNE