KC...
This ground based laser system is attempting to 'clean-up/de-orbit junk'... not deorbit stuff that is intact and operational at the end of its mission life-cycle. That should be an absolute responsibility of satellite builders/operators.
After thinking about this for awhile...
To be useful, a system as You described would have to be extensively implemented [world-wide] to effectively cover orbital paths [various inclinations] to affect the thousands of pieces of debris already there. To be effective these laser-batteries will have to be located on high altitude sites [above WX effects] and each site will have to have very strict safety protocols for air traffic and space traffic. I presume these sites will be very active, with radar, optics and lasers shuffling-between, then tracking and shooting targets with high accuracy energy... so a reliable source of high density electrical and/or chemical energy will be required... at those remote sites.
A challenge... but doable with adequate funding. After-all Atacama desert is remote/inhospitable... and still has adequate energy for the European observatories.
The cost of this system is likely to be high! I can see where all [nano/micro/small/large] satellite operators, whether they 'rely' on this system, or not, would be required to pay a hefty obligatory 'pre-launch-fee' to have their satellites specifically targeted for positive de-orbit... or 'just-in-case' they shed debris while in mission mode... and still require some sort of optical or electronic transponder to ensure positive tracking.
Hmmm... that last criteria is likely to cause DOD/NSA some heartburn.
Regards, Wil Taylor
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