Wholesale Leo debris capture and removal using EDDE

”EDDE” (the “Electro-Dynamic Debris Eliminator”) is a new kind of non-rocket vehicle. It can persistently maneuver throughout low Earth orbit without using propellant. EDDE consists mostly of reinforced aluminum foil tape to collect and conduct electrons, plus solar arrays to drive this current. Tape current crossing earth's magnetic field causes the maneuver force. The ambient plasma closing the current loop sees an opposite force. EDDE slowly rotates end-over-end to stiffen itself. That also improves agility, by allowing a wider range of thrust directions normal to both tape and magnetic field. The paper discusses EDDE design changes that reduce power needs for collecting and emitting electrons, and ease detection and quenching of plasma arcing. Air drag sets a minimum altitude near 400 km. There is no hard ceiling, but current and thrust drop with plasma density and magnetic field strength at high altitude. Orbit plane changes are usually fastest near 500 km altitude. EDDE can be launched as an ESPA or other secondary payload anywhere in LEO. EDDE's most valuable use may be wholesale collection and/or removal of most of the ~2000 LEO objects >100 kg. They account for >98% of the ~2000 tons orbital debris mass in LEO, and will create most new accidental debris by collisions. EDDE can capture nearly all of them using expendable nets weighing ~50 grams each. EDDE can capture ton-class objects tumbling at up to 2 rpm, since that spin energy is too small for the object to climb out of the net. After capture, EDDE can drag an object down and sling it below ISS, or deliver it to scrapyards at less congested altitudes for later recycling and/or deorbit. An 80 kg EDDE can remove or collect 5-25 tons/year of debris depending on altitude.