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Several times I came across the idea of using an electromagnetic tether for removal of space debris. According to the most rough descriptions, it's a long wire connected to a spacecraft to be removed. Moving through Earth's magnetosphere would induce a current inside this wire, which would cause the kinetic energy of movement to dissipate.
The questions: Are there good and bad areas of Earth's magnetosphere to try the principle out? How can the braking momentum be estimated? Won't Coulomb force cause the wire to tangle, ultimately making it useless?
Thanks.
The questions: Are there good and bad areas of Earth's magnetosphere to try the principle out? How can the braking momentum be estimated? Won't Coulomb force cause the wire to tangle, ultimately making it useless?
Thanks.