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Debate Wars

Space debris dilemma - Page 1

Space debris dilemma

Posted by: Torchickens
Date: 2018-12-15 13:34:01
The space debris dilemma addresses the way in how, while sending an object into space there is the risk of junk escaping into the vacuum of space. The more times we send people into space, the higher risk that space debris may cause a collision with something like a spacecraft or a seriously damaging a satellite.

While something like this for small particles would normally be relatively harmless on planet Earth, the high accelerations give them extremely high velocities, with the chances of piercing a hole in the spacecraft or a satellite.

This is a particular concern for humanity if more and more satellites begin to break down due to space debris. With many technologies using satellites, it would appear we may not be able to use technologies such as satellite Internet or TV connections, or satellite navigation software. The huge amount of space debris in the air may also make space travel less and less viable, trapping us on our home planet for future journeys with no solution.

Furthermore, this relationship is not a long, steady one, but rather may increase exponentially; because one satellite breaking creates more debris, which could cause a domino effect which causes multiple satellites to go down in succession. For this reason the space debris dilemma is a concern we cannot ignore.

There are solutions to this problem with multiple approaches. One of them may be to create a space net built to gather the space debris and send them back to Earth. Another concept may be to attract the space debris in the vacuum using magnets. 

What are our thoughts on this?

Re: Space debris dilemma

Posted by: ISSOtm
Date: 2018-12-15 14:25:54
Worse still, when a satellite ceases to function, it's simply left to rot up there, which makes it another debris (also more susceptible to being torn apart into yet more debris).

Re: Space debris dilemma

Posted by: Torchickens
Date: 2018-12-15 15:24:15

Worse still, when a satellite ceases to function, it's simply left to rot up there, which makes it another debris (also more susceptible to being torn apart into yet more debris).


Ahh, that's sad. :( I think this as well may depend on the state of the satellite. If the damage is not so bad an astronaut may possibly be able to fix it (like in this video, but I suppose that some satellites will inevitably get to a state where it needs replacing rather than fixed.