Understanding the Risks of Space Debris
The growing number of satellites in Earth’s orbit has raised concerns about the increasing risk of space debris. This waste can lead to a catastrophic scenario known as Kessler syndrome, where a chain reaction of collisions creates a self-perpetuating threshold that could leave entire orbits unusable.
The Impact of Kessler Syndrome
According to NASA, some experts believe that low Earth orbit is already exceeding the limits that could lead to this uncontrolled reaction. The debris and pile-up risks could continue to rise as companies like SpaceX and Amazon move forward with orbital projects requiring a large number of satellites.
The Fate of Old Satellites
When old satellites stop working and are no longer active, they often remain in low-Earth orbit, posing a growing threat to future satellite launches and manned space missions. Many of these objects are still in orbit, creating an ever-expanding space dump.
The Composition of Space Debris
Space debris is made up of non-operational satellites and other man-made objects that continue to orbit the Earth long after they have served their purpose. This includes spacecraft, spent rocket boosters, and even astronauts’ lost tool bags.
The Scale of the Problem
Humanity has launched around 50,000 tons of material into space since the 1950s, with the total mass of all space objects in orbit estimated to be over 13,000 tons. Of the 19,590 satellites launched into space since 1957, 13,230 of them are still operational.
Preventing the Invisible Threat
Most of the debris in orbit is too small to be tracked with current technology, but even particles the size of a tennis ball can cause serious damage. Solutions to the space debris problem may include cleaning up existing debris and preventing new collisions.
The Need for Regulation
Regulation is equally important in addressing the space debris problem. Although the United Nations (UN) adopted a document encouraging discussions on space traffic, the specific laws and their application remain unclear. Experts believe the United States could lead efforts to implement stricter rules, but warn that the time to act is limited.