METHOD FOR CLEANING ORBITS FROM SPACE DEBRIS BY RESIDUAL AERODYNAMIC ACTION OF THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE Russian patent published in 2022 - IPC B64G99/00 

FIELD: near-Earth space cleaning.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to methods and means of cleaning the near-Earth space from technogenic space debris (SD), as well as cosmogenic pollution. The method consists in transferring the spacecraft to a low earth orbit with subsequent combustion in the atmosphere. To decelerate the spacecraft in a rarefied atmosphere, a generator of artificial plasma formation (APF) is fired towards the spacecraft objects from the service spacecraft (SSC). When the generator enters the cluster of SD objects, an APF is created in the form of a cloud of fine particles with easily ionized alkaline and alkaline earth substances. The area of ​​the midsection of the APF is orders of magnitude greater than the total area of ​​the midsection of the SD objects. The ionized state of the APF is maintained by its laser irradiation from the SSC board.

EFFECT: reduction of the SD deceleration time in a highly rarefied atmosphere by means of an extensive APF, which opposes its scattering by the atmosphere.

9 cl, 4 dwg