Space junk littering orbit; might need cleaning up

[AsahinaKimi]

This computer generated graphic provided by NASA shows images of objects in Earth's orbit that are currently being tracked. Space junk has made such a mess of Earth's orbit that experts say we may need to finally think about cleaning it up. (AP Photo/NASA)

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.

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

more...
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/odd/news/20110905p2g00m0dm033000c.html

Yikes, that's some telling graphic.

[tridim]

1. It is a lot of stuff, but relative to the space it occupies it's VERY dilute

Too bad we don't have a small black hole to use as a lasso.

[Wilms]

2. Space Debris Illustrated: The Problem in Pictures

Above is a depiction of the trackable objects in orbit around Earth in low Earth orbit
(LEO–the fuzzy cloud around Earth), geostationary Earth orbit (GEO — farther out,
approximately 35,786 km (22,240 miles) above Earth) and all points in between.


Clickable image at the link.
http://www.universetoday.com/13587/space-debris-illustrated-the-problem-in-pictures/

Yikes, is right!

[bananas]

3. With a vacuum cleaner? Like Mega Maid from Spaceballs?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VptOUWC-Itc

[Travis_0004]

4. If most of it is in low earth orbit, it shouldn't be much of a problem

Things in low oearth orbit will fall to the earth in a few years. Things in a mid orbit may take a few decades, and things above 100km, may take 100 years or more.

It doesn't seem to be much of a problem now, so as long as we can avoid putting more junk in orbit, the problem should fix itself.

[inna]

5. are you saying that this junk infestation is human caused?

[AsahinaKimi]

7. Those people who don't believe in Climate Change

probably don't believe in this either! Who would in litter heaven?? :sarcasm:

[Bosso 63]

6. Things are not looking very good down here either.

[AsahinaKimi]

8. You got that right...