Scientists are preparing the International Space Station to equip it with a laser cannon in order to clear away space debris that are potential collision hazards in space.

This might sound like something out of a Star Wars movie but this "Death Star" inspired technology will be utilized not to destroy but rather keep other satellites out of harm's way from threatening collisions from floating space junk.

Like Us on Facebook

This laser beam is specifically designed to hunt down smaller objects that are rather difficult to be seen that could hit a hole right through the ISS.

With the help of the Extreme Universe Space Observatory, the space station can be spared from dangerous space debris where it is slated to be installed in 2017 in Japan's module of the ISS.

According to Toshikazu Ebisuzaki from the Riken Computational Astrophysics Laboratory in Japan, the EUSO telescope is originally designed to detect cosmic rays which can also become extremely useful for this project. He says that during twilight, the EUSO's wide field and poweful optic capabilities can be adapted to detect high velocity space debris that orbit near the space station.

Researchers believe that this laser can detect and targe the debris regardless its size and vaporize it, destorying the material that coats its surface and creating a high speed jet of energy from this point to nudge the space junk away from the ISS.

To date, the current strategy in evading these potential impacts is for the space station to utilize its thrusters that can move its current orbit away from the path of the flying debris. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew will transfer into a docked capsule that will also transport them safely back to Earth in the event of a serious collision.

This laser technology involves a type of laser beam called the Coherent Amplification Network (CAN) laser that utilizes a group of smaller lasers that can work together in order to emit a single, more powerful beam.

Scientists believe that this type of laser can deflect space junk from a range of 60 miles away that is more than enough distance to keep the space station safe.

TagsISS, EUSO telescope, space station laser beam ISS destroy space junk, laser cannon beam ISS space debris, laser beam space station