Space. The final frontier. A place of mysteries that need to be explored. New, pristine and untouched. But how untouched is it? How many satellites and probes have we sent into space? How many have we just left there? The first recorded man-made object in space was not in fact the well known Sputnik 1, but the rocket body that got Sputnik into orbit. Space debris has been there since the beginning of space exploration. There are approximately 22,000 man-made objects orbiting the earth right now. Only 2,500 of these objects are satellites, working or dead(“Orbital Debris”, 2012). The rest is just debris. Space junk, orbiting around the earth at thousands of miles per hour. And we’re putting it out there faster than it falls back.
These thousands of pieces of debris whipping around the earth at speeds of around 17,500 miles per hour pose an obvious problem from a risks and hazards approach. Even a paint chip traveling that fast can cause damage. However, this also poses a problem from an ecocentric view point. We are already polluting space and most of our population is still stuck on the ground. We have no idea what sort of environmental damage this could be causing. This problem is being addressed, but not with nearly enough urgency.
A Brief History of Space Debris
Sputnik was launched in 1957, and since then a flurry of man-made object have been leaving the restraints of Earth to explore the unknown. It was a few years before people started wondering about the debris out there. As early as 1978, a theory was introduced about the exponential increase of space debris due to collisions and the breaking up of the objects involved in the collisions. This is known as the Kessler syndrome, and it has proven to be very accurate(Bonnel, C., Ruault, J., Desjean, M., 2013). However, it wasn’t until 1979 that NASA began to formally investigate the issue of orbital debris. They
The cold war by the late 1950s had weaved into the everyday life of society for both countries. The announcement from the US that they will launch a satellite into orbit was challenged by the Soviets. On October 4th 1957, the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I. This was the world’s first artificial satellite and man-made object to be in earths orbit. The launch was unexpected to the US, having caught them off guard. As a result Sputnik began to raise fears amongst the public, fearing the possible event of a nuclear attack, due to previous cold war
Not long ago on the 15th of February 2013 an asteroid named 2012 DA14 merely scrapped the earth’s surface by a tiny margin, even closer than some satellites. According to the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) the asteroid was 17,200 miles above our planet's surface, which may seem a long way from earth. However, in terms how big the earth is compared to the 17,200 miles, we can acknowledge that many people were saved from death.
NSSS states a few current trends in space as being “congested and contested” (NSSS, 8), which is shaping our space strategic environment as well as fueling debates for space weapons. “Congested” trend refers to the current “60 nations and government consortia that own and operate satellites and the expectation to have 9000 satellite communication transponders in orbit by 2015.
How many people can remember where they were when the first man-made object left the bounds of our solar system? How many people can even remember what that object was? It was the Pioneer X spacecraft, and it left the solar system in mid-1987 without much fanfare. Think of it, the first object from earth that has broken through the realm of our solar system went relatively unnoticed. In terms of our position in the vastness of space, the walk on the moon was a trip to the house next door; Pioneer left our neighborhood completely to search for the answers to some of our most basic questions about the origins and nature of the universe. It carried with it a plaque to announce our existence and position in the galaxy to any alien civilization who found it. In the grand scheme of things the Pioneer X and XI de...
"Space Debris and Human Spacecraft." NASA. NASA, 27 Sept. 2013. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. .
Launius, Roger D. "Sputnik and the Origins of the Space Age." 1997. NASA. Accessed 2 Apr. 2003. < a href="http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/sputnik/sputorig.html>
When considering this topic, one might ask themselves why explore space? We explore space to compare other planets with the earth and to study the sun, to explore the universe while finding if intelligent life exists, for satellites to improve communications, weather forecasting, navigation, resource monitoring, and “to create a focal point for a new intellectual renaissance” (Ruzic).
Human fascination with the stars is as ancient as Babylonians and has been suggested to be older than Stonehenge. From “be fruitful and multiply” to “live long and prosper,” the instinct to protect and propagate the species has manifested in religion, art, and the imaginations of countless individuals. As human understanding of space treks out of the fantastical and into the scientific, the realities of traveling through and living in space are becoming clearer. Exploring, investigating, and living in space pose an expansive series of problems. However, the solutions to the problems faced by mankind's desire to reach beyond the horizon, through the night sky, and into the stars are solutions that will help in all areas of life on Earth.
People have been venturing out into the universe for many years now. In addition to satellites, both women and men astronauts have traveled into space to collect data about the universe. The first human being, the first animal, and the first spacecraft in orbit, were all achievements of the Soviet Union.
“Why should we go into space? What is the justification for spending all the effort and money on getting a few lumps of moon rocks? Aren’t there better causes here on Earth?”- Stephen Hawking. Space is the everlasting, ever growing place where we happen to reside. From the beginning of intelligent life here on Earth, we have wanted to learn. Whether it be simply constructing a fire, or solving the riddles that still puzzle us to this day. Many of the questions we still have are pertaining to space. Are we alone? How did we get here? Where are we going? Many answers can come from exploring space. Getting a “few lumps of moon rock” can answer so many questions we asked ourselves for millennia. Can we truly belong in a place we do not know about? Space exploration will better us now and in the future for several reasons.
The uncontrolled space junk is becoming a greater problem than before. As well as the continuous growth of space junk in Earth's orbit, NASA scientists are in fear of the occurrence of catastrophic collisions. In order to avoid being hit by space debris, scientist developed the collision avoidance technique. They are also looking for ways to remove the debris Earth's orbit. Most importantly, tracking these objects is key to solving all the problems.
These miscellaneous pieces, ranging from the size of a marble to a softball, travel at speeds up to 17,500 mph. The rising population of space debris increases the foreseen danger to all space vehicles, but especially to the International Space Station, space shuttles and other spacecraft with humans aboard (NASA, 2012).
Space has always been a pivotal and utmost important subject for many years. In the past, scientists have made monumental advances in this field such as sending people into orbit and landing a man on the moon. Of course, this has only barely been explored and we still have a lot more to see of the ever-vast outer space. One of the most significant topics of all of science has only been touched and there’s still more to come.
“Sheltered as we are by Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field, which deflect lethal radiation from space, we are like coddled children who have never ventured into a tough neighborhood” (Folger 2). Humans have been fascinated with space since the beginning of our time. Just like children and rough neighborhoods, we have tackled obstacle over obstacle to make it home again. In the end, we have a better knowledge and strength than before. The future of space exploration can assist us in answering the everlasting question of how the universe came to be. The more we explore the infinite galaxies, the more we can scientifically discover and create new technologies as science advances. As we continue to discover, we can create new fields and occupations for aspiring young students like myself.
There are more than 20,000 pieces of debris larger than a softball orbiting the Earth. This debris can travel at speeds up to 17,500 mph. Even a relatively small piece of space debris can damage a satellite or a spacecraft at these speeds. Additionally, there are more than 500,000 pieces...