Posted on 02/21/2010 8:51:28 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Space experts from around the world will discuss ways of tackling the growing problem of space debris in orbit around the Earth. It comes just a year after an American satellite collided with a Russian satellite.
There are thought to be more than 19,000 pieces of debris larger than 4 inches across racing around the Earth at high speeds, while there are more than 500,000 bigger than a postage stamp. The number of particles smaller than this are thought to exceed tens of millions.
Despite their relatively small size, most are travelling faster than 15,600mph and at these speeds a fleck of paint could do as much damage as a .22-calibre rifle bullet.
Growing numbers of satellites in orbit around the Earth have also made space a more hazardous place. Low orbits have now become so crowded with satellites that operators are regularly having to make emergency manoeuvres to avoid collisions.
Officials are now proposing an international space traffic management system that will track and control the movements of spacecraft to ensure there are no accidents, much like air traffic control centres do with aircraft.
Currently the US is the only country with the ability to track satellites and debris in space, so other countries and satellite operators are reliant on the Americans alerting them to an impending threat.
Professor Richard Crowther, head of the UK delegation to the UN Committee on the peaceful uses of outer space, and an expert on space debris, said: "The potential for collisions between spacecraft and with debris is only going to increase as more and more objects are sent into space.
(Excerpt) Read more at aviationnews.us ...
UNaccountable bureaucrats need to justify their existence. They should all be UNemployed at the least, otherwise ____ed.
So the USA is the only ones capable of tracking everything, yet the UN thinks they are in charge. I see how that works.
Liberalism at it's best. Pull the wool over the sheeples eyes and hope nobody is smart enough to think for themselves.
I do not think the UN should be controlling this problem. The problem should be left up to those capable to tracking the problem NORAD and NASA.They have done a great job so far alerting other space programs to the problem.
I agree with you.
Could we develop the space equivalent of a frog’s tongue, that could reach out from an orbiting vehicle, grab the small, fast-moving stuff, digest it, and then send it downward to burn up in the atmostphere like meteors do?
The UN is last place to be given any power or control of anything.
Giant GLAD bags.
One of the most widely discussed solutions is the laser broom, which uses a powerful ground-based laser to ablate the front surface off known debris and thereby produce a working mass that slows the debris in orbit. With a continued application of such thrust, the debris will eventually spiral down into a low orbit and become subject to atmospheric drag
I agree.
traffic in space? oh that’s right we’re outta’ that game aren’t we?/s
interesting. Thanks for posting.
So we stop alerting them. All their stuff smashes into smaller and smaller pieces until its a minor hazard. The collisions will also cause pieces to drop out of orbit. Now if they really, really want to keep something from being hit, we should be open for bids.
Our military runs world GPS too. We could do something similar with it (of course if Americans are on a plane or a plane is over the USA, we certainly want to tell the pilots where they are for free..or perhaps a nominal charge)
I agree. The Russians and the Chinese have the same capability.
The UN needs to go the flock away.
HATE the UN...HATE it!
But, but Obama killed our space program.
Can you imagine how much CO2 those fiery projectiles would create as they entered the atmosphere? There’s no way that would jive, especially since we’re already burning up due to global warming.
(I really hope I don’t need the /s tag here!)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.