I notice an RAF recruitment ad. on TV, where they seem to suggest they, RAF, are able to shoot down space debris, which might destroy a satellite out in space. Seems very unlikely, rather far-fetched, do they really have the means to do this?
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RAF -shooting down space debris
- Thread starter Harry Bloomfield
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I know the Americans have just the once, using an F15. But this was 1985 from 38,000 feet. Forty years on, there must be the missiles to manage it, so maybe the RAF is looking at procurement?
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They're dodging the debris, not shooting it (which would create more debris).
Satellites, the ISS and the like are being moved out of the way of (known) debris frequently.
Littering space - like we have done, with the land and the seas - without a care in the world...........until we suddenly realise it wasn't such a good idea after all.
The advert is tosh, everyone knows the RAF are too busy booking into their 5 star hotels to worry about space debris 
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It's pretty much impossible, so no.
Anything 'explodey' would just create more debris which would be even faster moving, so worse. At best existing anti satellite (ASAT) missiles could be used to break up something like the ISS when it deorbits, but only the US, Russia and China have those. You're not going to use it on anything smaller than a multi ton spy satellite.
The most recent Chinese ASAT test got a load of bad press because of the amount of debris it created.
