▁orbit , ▁using ▁a ▁p uls ed ▁beam ▁to ▁push ▁sat ell ites ▁into ▁lower ▁or bits ▁to ▁acceler ate ▁their ▁re entry . ▁A ▁proposal ▁to ▁replace ▁the ▁las er ▁with ▁an ▁I on ▁Be am ▁She ph erd ▁has ▁been ▁made , ▁and ▁other ▁propos als ▁use ▁a ▁fo amy ▁ball ▁of ▁aer og el ▁or ▁a ▁sp ray ▁of ▁water , ▁infl atable ▁bal lo ons , ▁elect rod ynamic ▁t eth ers , ▁bo om ▁elect road hes ion , ▁and ▁dedicated ▁anti - s at ellite ▁weapons . ▁ ▁N ets ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁Japan ' s ▁Japan ▁A eros pace ▁Ex pl oration ▁Agency ▁( JAX A ) ▁launched ▁a ▁test ▁" space ▁net " ▁satellite . ▁The ▁launch ▁was ▁an ▁oper ational ▁test ▁only . ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁the ▁country ▁sent ▁a ▁space ▁j unk ▁collect or ▁via ▁K oun ot ori ▁ 6 ▁to ▁the ▁I SS ▁by ▁which ▁J AX A ▁scient ists ▁experiment ▁to ▁pull ▁j unk ▁out ▁of ▁orbit ▁using ▁a ▁t ether . ▁The ▁system ▁failed ▁to ▁extend ▁a ▁ 7 0 0 - meter ▁t ether ▁from ▁a ▁space ▁station ▁res upp ly ▁vehicle ▁that ▁was ▁returning ▁to ▁Earth . ▁On ▁ 6 ▁February ▁the ▁mission ▁was ▁declared ▁a ▁failure ▁and ▁leading ▁research er ▁Ko ichi ▁In ou e ▁told ▁rep or ters ▁that ▁they ▁" bel ieve ▁the ▁t ether ▁did ▁not ▁get ▁released ". ▁