article_snippet.sent: It would be used to shoot down pieces of debris in Earth orbit (artist's illustration shown).
article_snippet.sent: Combining these two instruments would create a system that could deorbit space debris down to the size of 0.4 inches (one centimetre).
article_snippet.sent: The group plans to deploy a small proof-of-concept experiment on the ISS, with a small, eight-inch (20-centimetre) version of the EUSO telescope and a laser with 100 fibres.
article_snippet.sent: If that goes well, we plan to install a full-scale version on the ISS, incorporating a three-meter [10ft] telescope and a laser with 10,000 fibres, giving that goes well the ability to deorbit debris with a range of approximately 100 kilometers [62 miles],’ said lead researcher Dr Toshikazu Ebisuzaki.
article_snippet.sent: For example, such a system could be deployed in polar orbit at an altitude of about 500 miles (800km), ‘where the greatest concentration of debris is found,’ according to lead researcher Dr Toshikazu Ebisuzaki.
article_snippet.sent: The technology bears some similarities to the Death Star - shown - used to devastating effect in the original Star Wars trilogy. 
highlights_snippet.sent: It would be used to shoot down pieces of debris in Earth orbit .
  
highlights_snippet.sent: Would have a range of 100km and could target things less than 1cm in size .
  