Laser-reactive method for disposal of small space debris

Laboratory investigations were made of a laser-reactive method for the removal of small fragments orbiting in space. The method is based on the formation of an erosion jet by the evaporation of the debris material under the influence of laser radiation. The jet creates a recoil momentum acting on the irradiated surface. Such a laser jet engine, formed from small space objects, alters the velocity of these objects and can be used to send them into lower orbits at the expense of a small amount of energy. They should finally burn up in the upper layers of the atmosphere. The optimal irradiation conditions are determined and the reactive force of the erosion-jet thrust is found for various structure materials encountered in space debris. It is shown that a laser radiation energy of about 3 kJ g^-1 is needed to dispose of space debris by deceleration. This disposal method can be used remotely over a large part of space and is ecologically clean.