The ODES Initiative
Clearing the Path for a Better Future
Meet the ODES…
A solution to mitigate space debris that captures multiple pieces of debris before needing to be refueled or deorbited. The patent-pending design features an electromagnet, robotic arms, and magnetic foam for multiple methods of capture.
Artistic rendition of ODES by Noah Mesh
Where does the debris go?
As ODES brings the debris down from Low Earth Orbit, the debris burns up as it enters Earth’s atmosphere. ODES releases the debris over the Pacific Ocean as an added safety measure, but the debris will burn up before it ever reaches Earth. Scientists at the German Aerospace Center have already demonstrated that this process is a safe and viable solution to space junk.
In the long-term, we can consider encapsulating the satellite to bring it down intact if we want to collect the materials and can identify a cost-efficient method to do so.
The below visuals demonstrate the aforementioned process. The first demonstrates a model of tumbling piece of debris burning up as it enters Earth’s atmosphere. The second is actual footage from an experiment that simulated atmospheric re-entry using a plasma wind tunnel.
