I agree that a high speed impact would produce a large amount of force, but couldn't this "garbage collector" be launched so that it would be travelling nearer the debris speed ? Wouldn't that reduce the impact force ? As for where to sent the stuff as it's being collected ... couldn't you shoot if off into the Sun ? I know that's a whole new ball game, but it's just a thought. Mark -----Original Message----- From: Andrew Warren [mailto:aiw@CYPRESS.COM] Sent: 22 August 2002 02:35 To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU Subject: Re: [PICLIST] [OT]: Space travel disasters The pieces of orbital debris we're discussing -- even the tiniest ones -- have IMMENSE energies. How do you propose to generate enough static electricity to affect their motion in the SLIGHTEST, let alone pull them out of orbit and into your charged targets? Do you know for sure that the debris CAN be attracted by static electricity? How are you going to "harden" your targets against impacts at the speeds we're discussing? How will your targets stay in orbit as they absorb these ridiculous energies? How will you collect six to ten MILLION POUNDS of debris? Where will it go once you've collected it? Etc., etc., etc... -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.