THE OTHER SIDE OF SPACE EXPLORATION: THE ISSUE OF SPACE DEBRIS

Amidst our celebrations of launching tons of rockets, satellites, and space missions beyond the Earth's atmosphere, there is a crucial matter that often goes unspoken: the growing threat of space debris, which is not only wasteful but is dangerous to human life.

Focusing specifically on the Moon, there are nearly 100 bags of human waste left behind on this celestial body, and with more countries planning to explore the moon, this number will grow.

As we continue to explore the space, we are creating a mess owing to thousands of dead satellites orbiting our planet. This situation demands our immediate attention, for it has the potential to evolve into a formidable threat in the future.

WHAT IS SPACE DEBRIS?

Space debris is pieces of machinery and debris left by humans in space. It can refer to big objects like a dead satellite or paint flecks fallen from a rocket. There are almost 3,000 dead satellites floating around in space.

TYPES OF SPACE DEBRIS

Payload - These are mainly satellites and include fragments produced by wear and tear and collisions.

Rockets - They are leftover parts from the rockets that put satellites into space.

Mission related-objects - These are things like tools, screws, cables, and cameras that astronauts might have accidentally let go of during their missions.

CAUSES OF SPACE DEBRIS

1. DEFUNCT SATELLITES Satellites have a limited lifespan. When they stop working, they can become space debris. Instead of falling back to Earth, many of these dead satellites stay in space, especially those in higher orbits.

2. MISSING EQUIPMENT Astronauts working in space sometimes accidentally let go of tools or objects during their spacewalks. These objects can turn into space debris. For example, in 2008, an astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Pierre dropped a box of tools. The box disintegrated a year later when it entered the Earth’s atmosphere.