Rhyshaelkan
07-21-2009, 10:22 PM
I forget the figures off the top of my head. However if I remember right Terra collects 40000 tons of stellar dust each year.
When fuel production reaches a certain point on the Lunar surface. It would be a simple thing to steal some of the production from the plants there and use an orbit transfer vehicle of sorts to do some house cleaning in the Terra-Luna system. For the most part that would entail just pushing said object in as shallow an orbit as possible. So that it neither bounces off the atmosphere, nor plunges at such an angle so as to survive reentry.
One process could involve catching up to any given object and with a huge fly-swatter the OTV slaps the object towards reentry. Using a long sweep pitch maneuver.
For objects that might be recyclable a venus-fly-catcher devise and or grappling arms could hold the object to be transferred to an appropriate location. Why import stock from Terra to Luna when they can be scrapped out of orbit.
The reward for the fuel expenditure. A more pristine, and safe, environment for the objects that need to stay there. Possibly, reclamation of costly to import items.
When fuel production reaches a certain point on the Lunar surface. It would be a simple thing to steal some of the production from the plants there and use an orbit transfer vehicle of sorts to do some house cleaning in the Terra-Luna system. For the most part that would entail just pushing said object in as shallow an orbit as possible. So that it neither bounces off the atmosphere, nor plunges at such an angle so as to survive reentry.
One process could involve catching up to any given object and with a huge fly-swatter the OTV slaps the object towards reentry. Using a long sweep pitch maneuver.
For objects that might be recyclable a venus-fly-catcher devise and or grappling arms could hold the object to be transferred to an appropriate location. Why import stock from Terra to Luna when they can be scrapped out of orbit.
The reward for the fuel expenditure. A more pristine, and safe, environment for the objects that need to stay there. Possibly, reclamation of costly to import items.