As the near - Earth orbit grows more and more congested, the risk of collisions involving space debris poses a significant threat to the proper functioning of satellites and the overall safety of space missions. A research team from Japan has successfully developed a groundbreaking plasma thruster and put forward a non - contact, highly efficient technology for the removal of space debris. The relevant research findings have been published in Scientific Reports. This particular technology counterbalances the recoil force by means of bidirectional plasma ejection. Additionally, it makes use of a specialized magnetic field structure to contain the plasma plume. As a result, the deceleration force it generates is three times greater than that reported in previous studies. Moreover, it utilizes inexpensive argon gas as its working fluid, which ensures not only high efficiency but also cost - effectiveness.