According to space debris tracking service LeoLabs (Links to an external site.), an old, discarded Chinese rocket stage and a defunct Russian military satellite are due to pass within 12 metres (40 feet) of each other on 16 October 2020 at 00:56 UTC. There is, LeoLabs says, a greater than 10 percent chance that the two objects will collide at an altitude of 991 kilometres.
Space Debris is a very real problem…
Satellites only last for a few (say 10) good years (with some notable exceptions). The environment is very harsh, fuel is kept to a minimum to reduce launch weight (cost), new technology develops very fast, etc.
But, for things in GEO or above, that space trash will be there forever… and the pile will continue to get larger
There are many proposals on the table – such as this one (Links to an external site.), but currently it is not an easy thing to go up and clean up the trash.
How much trash can there be you ask? (Glad you asked!)
Wiki reports (citations retained), “As of October 2019, the US Space Surveillance Network (Links to an external site.) reported nearly 20,000 artificial objects in orbit above the Earth,[7] (Links to an external site.) including 2,218 operational satellites.[8] (Links to an external site.) However, these are just the objects large enough to be tracked. As of January 2019, more than 128 million pieces of debris smaller than 1 cm (0.4 in), about 900,000 pieces of debris 110 cm, and around 34,000 of pieces larger than 10 cm were estimated to be in orbit around the Earth.” Or, more simply… a lot.
Why do we care? A valid question.
Here’s the cupola window on the ISS after it was hit by a 7 mm paint fleck at 22,000 mph.
(off of who knows what old booster/spacecraft/satellite/etc.)
This is not a unique incident…
I’d hate to see what would happen to a spacesuit…
Kessler Syndrome
But, the real danger is what is known as the Kessler Syndrome (Links to an external site.). Basically, the idea is that at some point, a satellite will collide with another, creating a cloud of debris that will then impact 2 more, creating a cloud that will impact 4 more, and so on. A cascading chain reaction that takes out global telecommunications, or GPS, or national defense satellites, or inhabited space stations… Ultimately creating a cloud around Earth of fast moving tiny dangerous particles that we simply do not have the technology to clean up or possibly even pass through…
Some orbits could be unusable for (many) generations…
This problem literally did not exist when I was younger. We did this to ourselves.
As if accidental debris wasn’t creating enough new problems fast enough…
Both the US (Links to an external site.) and USSR (Links to an external site.) have carried out anti-satellite weapons tests.
In 2017, it was China (Links to an external site.). Last year, India joined the club (Links to an external site.) creating over 400 pieces of debris in a single test…
a Common(s) problem
Like Earth’s atmosphere, deep oceans, and the Moon, our local space is a “Commons” resource.
No nation owns it, but every nation is responsible for it. Damage from one is damage to all.
This was formally established by the Outer Space Treat (Links to an external site.)y which we will talk about in Week 9.
It was signed on October 10th in 1967 and established two very important unique principles.
1. No one can stop anyone else from going anywhere they want in space. (Free Access)
2. No nation is allowed to claim any object or part of space. (No National Appropriation)
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This is why space exploration is more than just engineering and geology. (no offense 😉
It’s a opportunity to look at ourselves and our systems of belief in a revolutionary new way…
This was very well explained by Jess Schingler in a recent TED Talk that is well worth 10 minutes.
On Monday of this week, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine unveiled the Artemis Accord (Links to an external site.)s.
A new multinational agreement that is meant to be the next step in space law.
Several nations (currently Japan, Australia, Luxembourg, Canada, Italy, the UK, and the United Arab Emirates) have already signed up on this US based initiative. Notably, Russia has rejected these agreements. China also does not appear to be involved at this stage…, but has also not openly rejected them either. No word on India or France or anyone else… or if /how UN COPOUS (United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space) will be involved.
Importantly, these accords specifically address the question of orbital debris – as well as things like mining and resource extraction, the establishment of “safety zones” and “heritage sites”, providing emergency assistance, and establishing a system of interoperability for all lunar parts. Some of these things are good, some less so, some only time will tell…
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The decisions that are made in the next 25 years (perhaps by YOU!) are going to shape the future of humanity in space forever.
What is the “right” way forward… and who gets to decide?
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EXTRA CREDIT
Pick any one of the Artemis Accords provisions highlighted to explore and answer the following questions:
1. What is the legal history of that idea? (for example, if you chose mining, you might research laws/treaties about using commons resources in space [OST/Moon Treaty, etc.] and on Earth [perhaps say Antarctica or the Deep Seabed]) What are the ‘legal’ / political precedents? Are they binding? Are the penalties? etc. How does Artemis change the status quo?
2. Are there international equity issues / moral obligations here? How so? (for example: Do spacefaring nations have an obligation to preserve, and / or allow non-spacefaring nations to have a say in the dispensation of space resources or should private companies that can just go for it?)
3. After watching the Jesse Schlinger video above, how does her thesis/argument in the video relate to your topic? (e.g. How are things different in space than they are on the Earth regarding your issue?)
4. What are the current limiting factors? Are they technological or political or social or scientific or what?
and
5. If you were “in charge” – how would YOU deal with your particular issue? How would you get all of the stakeholders to agree?
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You’ll need at least a 2-3 page write up including some outside research (with sources, citations, etc) to get full credit.