Given how much cheaper and frequent it is becoming to get into space with SpaceX launches. how long until we start seeing high-risk-debris deorbit missions?
I think these would be good candidates for well used falcon stages that might fail since I doubt the payload would be that expensive in hte form of a small'ish, mass-produced, short-life robot that separates from the stage, grabs on to the debrit and pushes. (Yet I know I am glossing over a lot of technical details, still cheaper than what we normally send up).
Robot is disposable and goes down with the debris. Falcon-9 returns to land for the next robot.
But in my super-fantastical dream, the robot would detach from the nearby falcon 9 stage, do the pushing on the debris, then return and reattach to the falcon-9 (Opening and closing fairing) and the falcon 9 brings the robot back.
Refuel and repeat.