Japan is developing two different methods of  eliminating or collecting space debris:
first, a satellite that uses lasers to destroy the debris; and second, a satellite that will capture debris using magnets.
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In 2020, the Japanese satellite company known as "JSAT" announced its plan to send a satellite equipped with a laser into Earth's orbit to help remove space debris that is orbiting the Earth.
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Scientists worry that small pieces of space debris could one day collide with other active satellites.
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The satellite uses a low-power laser designed to fire in short pulses.
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Instead of burning all the pieces of space debris with lasers, the company plans to melt a small part of each piece of debris and redirect it out of Earth's orbit.
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The targeted part will release some gas as it melts, which researchers hope will generate enough force to propel it out of Earth's orbit and back into the Earth's atmosphere to be completely burned up.
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This satellite is likely to be placed in the earth's orbit in 2026 and at an altitude of 350 to 600 miles above the earth's surface.
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In 2021, the first satellite to collect space debris using magnets was launched.
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The satellite, named “ELSA-D”, was built by the Japanese company Astroscale and launched on a Russian Soyuz rocket from Kazakhstan.
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The mission, licensed by the UK Space Agency, was an experiment designed to get permission for subsequent missions to dispose of defunct spacecraft and pieces of space debris.
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The ELSA-D project consisted of two parts; a larger one called the "servicer", and a smaller one called the "client".
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The mission was to simulate a scenario in which a piece of debris floating freely in space would be attached and trapped by the satellite, using magnets.
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In this experiment, the larger satellite would clean up debris and the smaller “client” satellite would simulate space junk.
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Ultimately, the debris would be brought down into the Earth’s atmosphere, so that it would be away from satellites and space operations.
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ELSA-D was supposed to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere when the experiment was over, but its mission would be an important step in collecting space debris in the future.
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Warning: these questons and answers are not all representative of the way questions will be asked and answered in the pilot, because some questions are compound and some answers do not include citations.

Q: Which two methods was Japan using to collect and eliminate space debris?
A: Satellites using lasersA: Satellites using magnets

Q: Which company planned to use lasers to destroy space debris?
A: JSAT

Q: Which company planned to use magnets to collect space debris?
A: Astroscale

Q: Why are scientists worried about space debris?
A: They worry that small pieces of space debris could one day collide with other active satellites

Q: What kind of laser is used?
A: a low-power laser designed to fire in short pulses.

Q: What will the laser do to the space debris?
A: melt a small part of each piece of debris and redirect it out of Earth's orbit

Q: Where will the laser satellite be placed in orbit?
A: In Earth’s orbit

Q: At what altitude above the Earth’s surface will the satellite be placed?
A: at an altitude of 350 to 600 miles above the earth's surface

Q: What is the name of the satellite launched as an experiment to use magnets to collect space debris?
A: ELSA-D

Q: How was this satellite launched?
A: on a Russian Soyuz rocket from Kazakhstan.

Q: Which entity licensed this satellite’s mission?
A: the UK Space Agency

Q: What were the two parts of the satellite used to magnetically collect space debris?
A: The servicer and the client

Q: How did the two parts work together?
A: The larger satellite (servicer) would attach space junk, using magnets. The smaller satellite (client) would simulate space junk

Q: What was supposed to happen to this satellite after its experimental mission was complete?
A: It was supposed to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere when the experiment was over