Scientists from China have developed a launcher for the destruction of space debris.
The nuance is that this device can also be used as a weapon to destroy satellites, reports a correspondent for the online publication Belnovosti.
Operating principle: the installation launches a capsule with a deployable net.
The latter covers the debris and pulls it into the atmosphere, where it should burn up, writes MIA Rossiya Segodnya, citing the South China Morning Post newspaper.
Scientists say their project is aimed at solving the problem of orbital debris, which is becoming more and more numerous.
The installation they proposed is compact and does not require external power supply or maintenance.
It can also be used as a weapon to destroy satellites.
Unlike existing space weapons, the system absorbs energy using a closed gas mechanism.
When fired, it creates no smoke or flash, and its vibration is negligible – all of which are problems for weapons located in space.
The newspaper cites the opinion of a Beijing astrophysicist who wished to remain anonymous.
He believes that a small modification could turn the waste disposal facility into a space weapon.
There will be no explosion or visible attack, just a satellite that has stopped responding. To outside observers, it may appear as if a natural failure has occurred, the scientist said.
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