Space Debris Removal Using Electromagnetic Fields

With the increasing population of artificial objects in Earth's orbit, space debris has become a growing threat to global satellite infrastructure. Debris fragments within the 1–10 cm diameter range are particularly hazardous. Large debris (>10 cm) can be tracked and avoided through orbital maneuvering, while particles smaller than 1 cm can often be mitigated using protective shielding. However, medium-sized debris remains difficult to detect and cannot be effectively shielded against, creating a significant gap in current mitigation strategies. Recent estimates suggest that over 1.2 million untracked fragments larger than 1 cm remain in orbit (ESA, 2025). This study proposes a non-contact active debris removal method using electromagnetic forces to induce orbital decay. Specifically, the concept utilizes the Lorentz force, allowing a charged object moving through Earth’s geomagnetic field to experience a force that alters its orbit. Previous research on electrodynamic tethers (EDTs) demonstrates that such systems can deorbit 300–500 kg objects from altitudes near 800 km within several months while generating tens of watts of electrical power (Sánchez-Arriaga et al., 2025). Building upon this principle, this study investigates whether controlled electric charge can be used to enhance orbital decay by interacting with Earth’s magnetic field. The proposed model was first evaluated using numerical simulations, followed by high-fidelity orbital simulations in General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT) utilizing the IGRF-13 geomagnetic field model (Thébault et al., 2020). Simulation results indicate a direct relationship between applied charge and orbital decay rate. Under maximum simulated conditions (charge ≈ 1 × 10⁻³ C), the model suggests rapid orbital decay from an initial altitude of 800 km, leading to atmospheric re-entry within approximately 48 hours under idealized assumptions including constant charge maintenance and a simplified dipole magnetic field. Additionally, the simulations confirm the expected increase in orbital velocity with decreasing altitude, consistent with the conservation of mechanical energy.