Space junk littering orbit; might need cleaning up

[tawadi]

Source: Associated Press

Space junk littering orbit; might need cleaning up

By SETH BORENSTEIN - AP Science Writer Thu, Sep 1, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) — Space junk has made such a mess of Earth's orbit that experts say we may need to finally think about cleaning it up.

That may mean vacuuming up debris with weird space technology — cosmic versions of nets, magnets and giant umbrellas, according to the chairman of an expert panel that issued a new report on the problem Thursday.

There are 22,000 objects in orbit that are big enough for officials on the ground to track and countless more smaller ones that could do damage to human-carrying spaceships and valuable satellites. The International Space Station has to move out of the way of debris from time to time.

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/DTQdi1AgpIHNFCYpFXgLiw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9MjAwMDtjcj0xO2N3PTIwMDA7ZHg9MDtkeT0wO2ZpPXVsY3JvcDtoPTE5MDtxPTg1O3c9MTkw/

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/space-junk-littering-orbit-might-cleaning-173155267.html

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"We've lost control of the environment," said retired NASA senior scientist Donald Kessler, who headed the National Academy of Sciences report.

[plumbob]

1. Why worry? We've abandoned space.

Usually abandoned places are filled with junk and debris. Now, when Dancing with the Stars goes off due to satellite failure - that will be when to panic!

[slackmaster]

2. Space is getting too crowded. That's why nobody goes there any more.

[Cirque du So-What]

3. Magnets?

Seems like they'd have limited usefulness, considering that space agencies tend to use aluminum alloys & composites in order to reduce the weight of payloads. I wouldn't expect to see a lot of magnetic materials in orbit.

[slackmaster]

4. Lasers and explosives would be more effective, and more fun.

"So don't give me any of that sentient life crap. Find me something I can blow up."

[Fumesucker]

5. Who needs explosives when something is traveling twenty times the speed of sound?

Just hit it with something and you'll get a very nice explosion indeed..

Of course all that does is give you more pieces of smaller stuff in different orbits that you have to track..

[slackmaster]

11. slackmaster is armed and ready to take on space junk with inertial weapons

http://members.cox.net/southparkmilitia/images/guns/AR-50_+_hippie.jpg

[Moldywart]

8. Explosives just break a relatively large object

Into many relatively small objects, all moving at ultra high velocities. So instead of having a large bullet go through things they have a shotgun blast.

[slackmaster]

12. The idea is to place explosives so they not only break things up, but slow them down in orbit

So a shower of small objects burns up as it enters the atmosphere.

[Moldywart]

14. Putting an explosive in orbit puts debris up there...

Unless it is as large as Space Lab or similar objects, they burn up without even reaching the surface, except as dust.

Many of the objects out there are smaller than a screw, but will blow though satellites and cause huge damage because of the energy released when they smack a larger object.

We need something like flypaper that they stick to, but doesn't blow apart, that once is is full can be allowed to burn up in the atmosphere.

[slackmaster]

16. Blowing shit up is fun

That you cannot deny.

[phantom power]

6. we need us one of these:

[A HERETIC I AM]

18. Naaaah...that sucks up whole planets. We need one of these;

btw, Spaceballs rocked!

But so did Star Trek.

[phantom power]

19. I stand corrected...

:rofl:

[HysteryDiagnosis]

7. Space junk could be used to create rather nifty

autos.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xRFNBWST25E/SO6SH2OKMAI/AAAAAAAABcQ/7y4X-R_wBuo/s400/Space+Junk+Art+Car.jpg

[HappyMe]

9. We need to get that

Dyson guy on this, pronto.

[Sedona]

10. Jobs Plan!

nt

[wizstars]

13. Just put Cheney in orbit....

Problem solved.

:shrug:


Kill two birds with one, uh, zombie!

:rofl:

[Marthe48]

15. Gather it up, put it on eBay

Space stuff is really collectible, and if it has been in space, really desirable. Obama could put a dent in the Repug generated debt, and clean up space too!

[Motown_Johnny]

17. Good Freaking Luck

Nobody is going to want to pay for doing that and the technological challenges in gathering debris moving at those velocities are enormous.


I think the best we can hope for is some plan to limit how much more debris is added. Perhaps finding ways of ejecting new debris onto vectors that cause it to enter the atmosphere and burn up sooner rather than later.