01-22-2021, 05:31 AM
Before humans first started sending objects into Earth orbit, the space around our planet was clean and free. But the launch of Sputnik 1 in October 1957 changed everything. Since that time, space debris has been accumulating, and the number of failed satellites significantly exceeds the number of active objects in our orbit.
More and more non-existent objects populate near-Earth space, the risk of collision increases, which, as objects fall and break, entails the creation of new space debris.
But according to the ESA report, collisions are not even close to being the biggest problem: in the past 10 years, they accounted for only 0.83% of all debris events.
“The biggest contributors to the current space debris problem are in-orbit explosions caused by fuel and batteries remaining onboard spacecraft and rockets. Despite the fact that measures to prevent these explosions have been applied for many years, we have not seen a decrease in their number. Post-mission dismantlement trends are improving, but at a slow pace. ”- Holger Krag, ESA Space Safety Program Manager.
Is it really that serious? Do we have a solution to this problem?
More and more non-existent objects populate near-Earth space, the risk of collision increases, which, as objects fall and break, entails the creation of new space debris.
But according to the ESA report, collisions are not even close to being the biggest problem: in the past 10 years, they accounted for only 0.83% of all debris events.
“The biggest contributors to the current space debris problem are in-orbit explosions caused by fuel and batteries remaining onboard spacecraft and rockets. Despite the fact that measures to prevent these explosions have been applied for many years, we have not seen a decrease in their number. Post-mission dismantlement trends are improving, but at a slow pace. ”- Holger Krag, ESA Space Safety Program Manager.
Is it really that serious? Do we have a solution to this problem?