Catcherllite: An orbit cleaner for untraceable debris

Orbital debris is an ongoing and growing threat to space assets. As recent as two weeks ago, an old Russian satellite exploded in orbit. Several large pieces remain in orbit and are currently tracked while numerous smaller pieces were also created but remain, due their size, untraceable. NASA has stated that orbital debris is the number one threat to spacecraft, satellites, and astronauts. Collisions with orbital debris can pit or damage spacecraft in the best case scenario and cause catastrophic failures in the worst. Averaging speeds of 10 km/s (22,000 mph), a 1 centimeter paint fleck is capable of inflicting the same damage as a 550 pound object traveling 60 miles per hour on earth. A 10 centimeter projectile would be comparable to 7 kilograms of TNT. Shielding has been developed to protect vital spacecraft components and safeguard our astronauts against these impacts. Unfortunately, this problem could escalate into a chain reaction of impacts generating additional debris which in turn impacts other orbital assets. This runaway effect is known as the Kessler Syndrome and it could severely limit access to space in the future. Current shielding can protect a spacecraft but due to its design can cause additional debris due to the nature of these impacts.