Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Space junk map tracks 200 ‘ticking time bombs’
Space debris is nonfunctioning human-made space objects around the Earth. Examples are abandoned launch vehicles, debris from the breakup, erosion, collision, and waste of spacecraft. Of over 26,000 individual objects in various sizes that are being tracked, most of them are rubbish. They need to be predicted their behaviors because they are like ticking time bombs. When they either explode or being hit by other space debris, they will become tens of thousands of smaller pieces. Since this orbital debris is traveling at a speed of over seven kilometers per second, even a tiny object will cause significant damage to a functioning satellite or manned space station once they collide. The more nonfunctioning and uncontrollable space objects orbit the earth, the higher the risk will be to hit functioning satellites for GPS, weather and climate monitoring, military, and scientific observations. Such risks are becoming even higher as more space satellites are being launched to orbit the earth and more debris is being created.
The environment isn’t limited only to the Earth, but to space as well now.
Enjoy watching the video and learn about how space junk threatens space safety and the environment.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/science-environment-56845104
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