Maxar is excited to contribute to The Ocean Cleanup’s efforts to rid the oceans of plastic as this effort is closely aligned with the company’s stated purpose, For a Better World.Prior research has shown that there is a giant island of trash floating atop the subtropical gyre in the North Pacific Ocean. Maxar’s high-resolution imagery provides these key insights to The Ocean Cleanup team, allowing an optimal understanding of this new trash-collecting technology, and to reduce the costs of keeping a crew with the system 24/7 in the future. That information can then be used to monitor changes in debris type, plan for recycling and reclamation efforts and study long-term trends in discarded materials. This sensor is sensitive to the patterns of SWIR light reflected from materials on Earth, so it could inform The Ocean Cleanup team if there is plastic, metal or painted materials in the system. The second main objective of this proof of concept is to assess the capability of Maxar’s WorldView-3 short wave infrared (SWIR) sensor to detect plastic accumulation within the system. WorldView-3 image of The Ocean Cleanup’s System 001 in the Pacific Ocean. System 001/B is smaller and modular, so many updates can be made offshore, speeding up the iterations and helping the team learn at a quicker pace. With these images, we can track the direction of the system, how much debris has accumulated within it and, when this is applicable, determine the optimal time to dispatch a vessel for extracting the trash from the system.īecause The Ocean Cleanup develops its technology in fast iteration cycles, this is a natural progression on the road to achieving the right design. The Ocean Cleanup team uses those images to monitor aspects of the system’s performance and to make necessary adjustments. That’s where Maxar’s high-resolution satellite constellation come into play. During its deployment, the system is monitored by offshore teams in a nearby vessel, but it is essential to analyze the system from multiple viewpoints. Meanwhile, System 001/B is still operating about 1,250 nautical miles off the West Coast of the U.S. The aim going forward will be to start designing System 002 with a focus on long-term survivability and plastic collection. By adding a parachute to slow down the system, System 001/B did effectively collect and retain plastic - therefore, solving the main challenge of plastic retention and confirming the foundational concept of using natural ocean forces to clean up floating plastic debris.Īlthough there is still much more work to do, this was a promising result from the trials. 17 percent of the species affected by plastic are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.Īfter only four months of design, procurement, and assembly, The Ocean Cleanup returned to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch with System 001/B to test modifications that address the challenges faced with System 001. Studies have shown that about 700 species have encountered marine debris, and 92 percent of these interactions are with plastic. However, the larger plastic debris pose dangerous risks as well - often ensnaring animals as they swim through the water and, in many cases, causing death. Studies have shown that about 700 species have encountered marine debris, and 92 percent of these interactions are with plastic - 17 percent of the species affected by plastic are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. But the larger plastic debris pose dangerous risks as well - often ensnaring animals as they swim through the water and, in many cases, causing death.
It does not biodegrade and it contains toxins – breaking up into smaller particles, animals consume the plastic and the toxins then move up the food chain, ultimately to us, humans. The trouble is, massive amounts of it end up in the ocean. Plastic is a material that is used in just about everything - packaging, consumer goods, toys, cars, etc.
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