Orbiting debris reaching critical mass
Tuesday, February 6, 2007 at 9:07 PM
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For over half a century since we've been launching ourselves into space, we've been leaving behind space junk (or "orbital debris"). Now the federal list of detectable objects - comprised of dead satellites, spent rocket stages, or whatever else that measures four inches or larger - has reached over 10,000 objects.
What doesn't help is China's test last month using an anti-satellite rocket that destroyed an old satellite into nearly 1,000 detectable pieces at over 18,000 miles an hour. This is chalked up as the worst debris causing event (since 1996 when an abandoned American rocket engine exploded in 713 bits and pieces).
The problem, scientists agree, is that the amount of debris in Earth's orbit has surpassed a critical mass, or "critical spacial density." This is building to a point that it'll kick off a cascade, a chain reaction, where colliding debris smashes into larger objects, creating more debris, reeking havoc in the heavens.
So who cares? Anyone who's business involves launching satellites into space does. While XM's or Sirius' satellites aren't in immediate danger, there's an underlying issue. The theory (know as the Kessler Syndrome) is that as the debris becomes so dense that launching satellites would become harder and harder - and more expensive. The good news? This worst-case scenario is probably centuries away.
[NY Times]
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Comments
GOOD FOR SPACE!!!! WHO CARES?
Posted by: YEAH!!! | February 6, 2007 10:26 PM
Destroying satellites for no good cause; yet another reason communism sucks. FU China.
Posted by: History Guy ? | February 6, 2007 10:42 PM
Just need to find a way to push this stuff back to Earth.
Posted by: Chris | February 7, 2007 2:17 AM
Centuries away? I can see the headlines:
March 4, 2257: In the news today, scientists say that lauching satellites is much more difficult due to the centuries of orbiting debris build-up. In other news, merger rumors between XM and Sirius have surfaced again...
Posted by: iband | February 7, 2007 7:22 AM
Is this really such a big deal? I mean the orbital area around the Earth is much larger than the surface of the planet, and it's three dimensional, not planar. Surely there's plenty of room out there. 10,000 objects moving on the surface of the Earth would be nothing.
Posted by: Bomshack | February 7, 2007 8:38 AM
"The good news? This worst-case scenario is probably centuries away."
Ryan,
That is just the attitude that got us here to begin with! Kessler has been working on this since 1978 and we are still making matters worse.
FU China? No FU any one on Earth capable of causing this problem, able to fix it, and still ignoring the issue! Imagine a world where space travel is technologically possible, but physically imposible because we spent way to much time litering our surrounding space with debris. What a f*&#ing waste!
This is just one more example of how humans on Earth have decided to do something, knowing the risk, but figured "Eh, who cares...the problem won't be bad for centuries. We'll fix it then, right?"
Posted by: jkdillard1 ? | February 7, 2007 8:52 AM
jkdillard1: You're absolutely correct, but I had to point out what the predicted time-table is. I'm not saying its not something of concern, that's why I wrote the piece. It's actually a pretty disgusting situation we're putting ourselves in, and it's only a matter of time when things will get worse.
One point of clarification - I'm not saying that the orbital debris cascade is centuries away. I'm saying that the "worst case scenario" of the Kessler Syndrome is centuries away. A chain reaction of shattering debris is something is guaranteed to happen, we just don't know when. XM and Sirius' satellites aren't in any direct threat (right now) but launching satellites is going to get more and more complicated as the debris density increases.
This is definitely something of concern! And we actually have the ability to do something about it. And increasing awareness of the problem is the first step to getting there.
Posted by: Ryan Saghir ? | February 7, 2007 9:34 AM
Interesting piece - I had absolutely no idea this was a problem. I'd always assumed much of this junk had it's orbit decay and so subsequently burned up in the atmosphere within a few years. Looks like that's not true at all.
Unfortunately, it sounds to me like there ISN'T anything we can do about it at the moment, at least not directly. We've already reached critical mass and are sitting on a time bomb right now. Hopefully someone will get off their duff and design an efficient method for getting rid of that junk.
Posted by: waterwagen ? | February 7, 2007 10:51 AM
China...? lol dont point fingers America has done far worst in any category you can think of.
Im sure well just make a space robot that will sweep and clean up the mess. Then possibly fly to the sun for disposal. or not...
Posted by: David <-American | February 7, 2007 11:04 AM
David: China blowing up that satellite caused the single biggest event in orbital debris. Not necessarily THE ones to blame over this problem.
During the Cold War, the U.S. and Soviet Union were blowing up satellites like there was no tomorrow (literally).
Check out this Interactive Graphic - particularly slides 3 through 6 - it shows how quickly the space junk from that satellite spreads.
Posted by: Ryan Saghir ? | February 7, 2007 2:52 PM