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The Defence department is asking Canadian scientists to try to come up with a way to rid the Earth’s orbit of the millions of pieces of space junk that pose a threat to satellites and other spacecraft.

But the task is daunting as no other researchers have yet to figure out how to collect the debris, which can be as small as one millimetre in size.

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The call for ideas on how to track the space junk and “de-orbit” the debris was recently issued by the Department of National Defence and proposals are expected by the third week of August.

“Collision risks from on-orbit debris is of significant importance, especially given the growth potential for smaller spacecraft,” explained Dan Le Bouthillier, a spokesman for the DND. “Given the increased interest in the exploitation and exploration of space there is an opportunity for Canadians to take a leadership role in keeping space safe for all, and for Canadian industry to reap the economic benefits that will come with finding effective and cost-efficient solutions to the problem of spaced debris.”