"Japanese Startup's Ground-Based Fusion Laser Targets Space Junk"
Japanese startup EX-Fusion plans to use ground-based laser technology, originally developed for fusion power, to track and remove small space debris. The startup has partnered with EOS Space Systems to place a high-powered laser in an observatory outside of Canberra, with the goal of slowing down debris and causing it to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere. This approach involves using diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) lasers, different from weapon-grade lasers, to apply force to fast-moving debris and stop it. The initiative also serves as a test for EX-Fusion's laser fusion process on the path to commercializing fusion technology.