Space Harpoon

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

British engineers have created a space harpoon that could help capture rogue satellites and pull them back down to Earth.

The 3ft (95 cm) missile would be fired from a 'hunter-killer' spacecraft, which would pull it – and its prey – back using a cord.

Aviation giant Airbus said the harpoon is being tested at its space research centre in Stevenage.

Its top target is a defunct weather satellite, Envisat, which weighs eight tons and stopped working in 2012.

After penetrating the target area at the correct location, spring loaded barbs deploy which ensure the harpoon stays put.

The harpoon is powered by pressurised gas and the five-pound (2.2 kg) projectile travelled at 55 mph (25 metres per second).

The experts believe that the launch produced 1,500 G of force.

Attached to the projectile head is a tether that is around 80-100 feet (25-30 metres) long and will be used to manipulate the entrapped satellite.

As well as a tank of nitrogen gas behind the harpoon there are additional gas tanks on the side.


I asked my wife to put on a posh accent for this voiceover......

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/2...ve-rogue-satellites-and-20-000-junk-items.htm

 

[Nuckles56]

I'm wondering how much of an effect the launch of the harpoon has on the orbit of the hunter satellite or whether they have the thrusters set up to compensate for the launch.

 

[EarthDog]

Id bave to imagine so... also, what if it missed or didnt penetrate? Its going to send the other satellite off its current trajectory.

 

[Solaris17]

fuckin space harpoons sinking satellites what a time to be alive.

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

Im pretty sure the additional side tanks deal with the "recoil"

 

[rtwjunkie]

British engineers have created a space harpoon that could help capture rogue satellites and pull them back down to Earth.

The 3ft (95 cm) missile would be fired from a 'hunter-killer' spacecraft, which would pull it – and its prey – back using a cord.

Aviation giant Airbus said the harpoon is being tested at its space research centre in Stevenage.


View attachment 98456


Its top target is a defunct weather satellite, Envisat, which weighs eight tons and stopped working in 2012.

After penetrating the target area at the correct location, spring loaded barbs deploy which ensure the harpoon stays put.

The harpoon is powered by pressurised gas and the five-pound (2.2 kg) projectile travelled at 55 mph (25 metres per second).

The experts believe that the launch produced 1,500 G of force.

Attached to the projectile head is a tether that is around 80-100 feet (25-30 metres) long and will be used to manipulate the entrapped satellite.

As well as a tank of nitrogen gas behind the harpoon there are additional gas tanks on the side.


I asked my wife to put on a posh accent for this voiceover......

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/2...ve-rogue-satellites-and-20-000-junk-items.htm

Your “wife” sounds so.... computery. LOL.

This has some worthwhile use, it also has the potential to completely disrupt life in a sneak attack if in the wrong hands.

Imagine aligned nations losing communications or GPS or spying capability.

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

A Russian Soyuz capsule usually takes at least two days to rendezvous with the ISS and thats with a planned trajectory from earth. it would take quite some manouvering to alter its target once in orbit. They reckon the launching satellite is single use anyway and would be destroyed along with the space junk.

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

British engineers have created a space harpoon that could help capture rogue satellites and pull them back down to Earth.

The 3ft (95 cm) missile would be fired from a 'hunter-killer' spacecraft, which would pull it – and its prey – back using a cord.

Aviation giant Airbus said the harpoon is being tested at its space research centre in Stevenage.


View attachment 98456


Its top target is a defunct weather satellite, Envisat, which weighs eight tons and stopped working in 2012.

After penetrating the target area at the correct location, spring loaded barbs deploy which ensure the harpoon stays put.

The harpoon is powered by pressurised gas and the five-pound (2.2 kg) projectile travelled at 55 mph (25 metres per second).

The experts believe that the launch produced 1,500 G of force.

Attached to the projectile head is a tether that is around 80-100 feet (25-30 metres) long and will be used to manipulate the entrapped satellite.

As well as a tank of nitrogen gas behind the harpoon there are additional gas tanks on the side.


I asked my wife to put on a posh accent for this voiceover......

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/2...ve-rogue-satellites-and-20-000-junk-items.htm

Your a brave man putting up with that tone every night mate i couldn't take her day at work in that tone, nice info though but what about kickback.?
It would have grave issues if it's target is spinning too fast too.

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

but what about kickback.

https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/space-harpoon.242461/post-3814850

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/space-harpoon.242461/post-3814850

Oh ,I thought they were on the harpoon for i dunno additional steering ,smart, encapsulated id guess they would have two or three on one satellite.

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

a miniature version of the Airbus harpoon is set to launch next month on a mission called RemoveDebris.

This demonstrator satellite, developed at the Surrey Space Centre, will carry its own piece of junk which it will release and then attempt to retrieve. It will trial a net, but will perform a harpoon test as well to further knowledge about how such systems will behave in the weightless environment of space.

 

[Bones]

Well, I'm up for a satellite safari.
Looking to bag a big 'un - I'm sure though mounting it's head on the wall may be a problem...... For the wall.