Dealing with space debris and Kessler Syndrome

Space is vast and lawless. Private travel is commonplace, and pirates have become a significant problem. People mainly fly orbit-to-orbit craft that have chemical rockets and no one is running around at relativistic speeds. How do you deal with space debris? One destroyed satellite created huge amounts of debris, so every cool space battle would be a disaster. I'm mostly looking for solutions that could be implemented by individuals - there isn't a strong enough government for a unified effort to reduce the amount of debris.

Edit:

I'm looking for non-govt/military solutions - they need safe transit too, but that's not the focus of my question. Getting to Mars takes variable amounts of time, depending on where it is in its orbit, and where you are. Maybe nine months from earth, if you left at the right time. People travel for the same reasons they always have, family, opportunities/jobs, etc... The solution has to be either low-cost - so average people can implement it on their own - or high cost, and spread out - like the 'toll road' and 'insurance company' ideas below. Ideas of the former category are preferred, but practicality is more important to me.

posted about 8 years ago

Charles Noon‭

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