SPACE DEBRIS

There are over one thousand two hundred and sixty-five (1265) satellites operating right now in low earth orbit (LEO) to high altitude and each one of those needs a clear lane to travel safely. GPS, cellphones, weather forecast – Life that we know on Earth cannot function without these Satellites above.

In addition to these active satellites there are also space debris or junks are there. So, how these space debris built up there anyway?

Space debris are obsolete human-made objects in space – primarily in Earth’s orbit – these objects no longer serve any useful function.

Rocket bodies, small satellites, broken tools, gloves, dust particles — any launched object from earth’s surface that no longer serve useful purposes are now space junk. These objects rotate 17,000 miles/hour.

Any orbital object larger than a baseball is considered Space Debris.

In the early 1980s, United States Airforce personnel first start keeping accounts of orbital trash (large or small) larger than a baseball. Back then there were 6000 objects. For decades this number grew only slightly. An international agreement kept space junk under control.

Two accidents changed these equilibria: Tn 2007 (to destroy a faulty Chinese satellite a Chinese missile was fired. Due to this collision a ~ 30% increase of space junk happened. In 2009, a US satellite collides with a Russian satellite – that created 4000 more debris. In fact, when space debris collides with one another – this collision splinters into much debris. Each collision breaks down into exponential number of debris creating cascade of junks…. Today, the estimated count of space junks number is 17,000. These orbital debris are much of a threat and formula for disaster in the orbit — for the First time this awareness came from a NASA scientist in 1970, named D. Castle, who did some calculations and realizes that ‘leaving junk in the orbit is a formula for disaster. People can think of Earth’s orbit is like a loop…. where all the objects are rotating at the same speed with no place to stop. Like Mary go round and round and round.

Because Debris are threat for human civilization to grow, unless we tackle the debris problem in space skillfully [there will be no weather forecast for us, no new story from the other side of the world can be shared, and to watch the world cup on TV by simply turning the device on will not be possible].

SPACE DEBRIS

REFERENCE: https://youtu.be/AgwndrA9pJ4Ag

SPACE debris and its Impact