A UK orbiter has performed a successful test of a net designed to catch space junk , let on in sensational footage taken from sphere .

TheRemoveDebris orbiter , build by the University of Surrey in the UK , was launch to the International Space Station ( ISS ) on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Eruca vesicaria sativa in April 2018 . Later in June , NASA turn the small satellite – weigh 100 kilogram ( 220 pound ) – from the ISS .

Now the spacecraft has successfully deployed a net , to capture a target CubeSat , while revolve at an altitude of about 300 klick ( 190 naut mi ) . An amazing video recording show the second the mesh was open fire and wrapped around the target area , which you could watch below .

" It worked just as we hoped it would , " Professor Guglielmo Aglietti , director of the Surrey Space Centre which is running the mission , toldBBC News .

" The target was spin like you would expect an uncooperative piece of junk to behave , but you’re able to see understandably that the final captures it , and we ’re very happy with the way the experiment went . "

In the video , the object is about 6 to 8 meter ( 20 to 26 base ) in front of the RemoveDebris ballistic capsule , with the net completely cover the target boxwood . The net and box seat should re - enter the atmosphere in a few months on their own .

The ultimate goal of thisexperimental missionis to test out technique   to remove space junk . Thousands of piece of debris that could pose a danger to spacecraft are orbiting Earth , with little promise of getting rid of them lay aside for them combust up in the ambiance .

A number of musical theme have been purport over the year to take away place junk , such asusing lasersto push debris into a lower orbit . RemoveDebris is testing out a number of these proposal .

by from the final test , the planet will also try firing a harpoon in former 2019 at a fair game at the end of an extendable weapon – another way that debris could be de - orbited . At the oddment of its mission , it will also deploy a canvass that will increase its atmospherical puff and wreak it back into the atmosphere . And it has a photographic camera on display panel to well monitor space dust .

Using a net or harpoon , it might be possible for future space vehicle to sashay up to debris and transport it back into the air . or else , satellites could dribble a sail with them like that on RemoveDebris , which is deployed at the end of the delegation to bestow them back into the atmosphere .

Last twelvemonth a Japanese missionfailedat its attempt to make clean up space debris using a tether to increase pull . RemoveDebris , however , has demo that there might be a way to clean up Earth orbit , and there ’s more yet to amount from the mission .