Space Junk Removal Is Not Going Smoothly

Posted April 14, 2021

External Article: Scientific American

Mariel Borowitz, associate professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, was quoted in the article "Space Junk Removal Is Not Going Smoothly," published April 14, 2021 in Scientific American.

In the article, which discussed the technical and political issues behind the issue of "space junk," or leftover debris floating above the Earth's atmosphere, Borowitz discussed the strategic implications of removal technologies that could be repurposed for other aims.

Excerpt:

Indeed, the ability to cozy up to spacecraft in orbit and perform servicing or sabotage has spurred considerable interest from military planners in recent years, says Mariel Borowitz, an associate professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Sam Nunn School of International Affairs. “These rapidly advancing technologies have the potential to be used for peaceful space activities or for warfare in space,” she says. “Given the dual-use nature of their capabilities, it’s impossible to know for sure in advance how they’ll be used on any given day.”

Full article.

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