Satellite and spacecraft operators may finally be able to detect small pieces of debris orbiting Earth using an approach proposed by researchers from the University of Michigan.
Astronomy
Dec 4, 2023
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24
Good morrow and a cheerful week's end to you. This week, we reported on notable developments in the lack of starfish body development. Physicists used a new method to revisit the planetary collision that likely formed the ...
A team of engineering students has recently developed and tested a bench-top particle accelerator they call LOKI, to test what happens to different materials when they are hit by micrometeoroids. The device, discussed in ...
General Physics
Oct 30, 2023
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14
Humanity is on course to transgress multiple global "tipping points" that could lead to irreversible instability or the complete collapse of ecological and institutional systems, a United Nations report has warned.
Environment
Oct 28, 2023
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As yet another space rocket is launched and more technology is placed into orbit, the problem of space junk grows and grows, not to mention the pollution from all the fuel burned en route.
Space Exploration
Oct 27, 2023
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Melting glaciers, unbearable heat and space junk: a month before crunch climate talks in the United Arab Emirates, a UN report published Wednesday warns about irreversible impacts to the planet without drastic changes to ...
Environment
Oct 25, 2023
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28
Any mission headed to space needs a "parking spot" at its destination. But these parking spots, regions located on orbits, are quickly becoming occupied or more vulnerable to collisions.
Space Exploration
Oct 4, 2023
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1
US authorities said they have issued a "breakthrough" first-ever fine over space debris, slapping a $150,000 penalty on a TV company that failed to properly dispose of a satellite.
Space Exploration
Oct 3, 2023
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75
There's a lot of trash on the moon right now—including nearly 100 bags of human waste—and with countries around the globe traveling to the moon, there's going to be a lot more, both on the lunar surface and in Earth's ...
Space Exploration
Aug 31, 2023
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39
SBUDNIC, built by an academically diverse team of students, was confirmed to have successfully reentered Earth's atmosphere in August, demonstrating a practical, low-cost method to cut down on space debris.
Space Exploration
Aug 24, 2023
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154
Space debris or orbital debris, also called space junk and space waste, are the objects in orbit around Earth created by humans, and that no longer serve any useful purpose. They consist of everything from entire spent rocket stages and defunct satellites to explosion fragments, paint flakes, dust, and slag from solid rocket motors, coolant released by RORSAT nuclear powered satellites, deliberate insertion of small needles, and other small particles. Clouds of very small particles may cause erosive damage, like sandblasting. Space "junk" has become a growing concern in recent years, since collisions at orbital velocities can be highly damaging to functional satellites and can also produce even more space debris in the process. This is called the Kessler Syndrome. Some spacecraft, like the International Space Station, are now armored to mitigate damage from this hazard. Astronauts on space-walks are also vulnerable.
The first major space debris collision was on February 10, 2009 at 16:56 UTC. The deactivated Kosmos-2251 and an operational Iridium 33 collided 789 kilometres (490 mi) over northern Siberia. The relative speed of impact was about 11.7 kilometres per second (7.3 mi/s), or approximately 42,120 kilometres per hour (26,170 mph). Both satellites were destroyed. The collision scattered considerable debris, which poses an elevated risk to spacecraft.
This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA
