Recycling in outer space
US agency plans to recycle satellites
There are 1,300 disused artificial satellites in Earth orbit, which only add to the problem of the huge amount of space junk. But despite seeming useless, the Defense Advance Research Projects Agency (Darpa), of the United States, saw an opportunity in them: recycling.
The initiative consists of sending robots to the space to collect parts that can be reused in the construction of new satellites, making the process less costly. According to Dave Barnhart, head of the project, the costs would be much lower if the satellites could be repaired in outer space itself.
The plan is for the Phoenix project to be up and running by 2015. Even with some doubts about what robots could actually accomplish in space, the initiative is a big step toward a greener economy.
For more information about the project, see the official website (in English).
