Space debris, consisting of defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, and fragments from collisions, poses significant threats to current and future space missions. These debris travel at high velocities, making even small pieces capable of causing severe damage to operational spacecraft, satellites,Read more
Space debris, consisting of defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, and fragments from collisions, poses significant threats to current and future space missions. These debris travel at high velocities, making even small pieces capable of causing severe damage to operational spacecraft, satellites, and the International Space Station (ISS). Key threats include:
1. **Collision Risk**: High-speed debris can collide with active satellites, leading to the loss of critical communication, navigation, and weather monitoring services.
2. **Kessler Syndrome**: A cascade effect where collisions generate more debris, increasing the likelihood of further collisions, potentially rendering certain orbits unusable.
3. **Human Safety**: Debris threatens crewed missions, including those to the ISS and future deep space exploration endeavors.
To mitigate these risks, several strategies are being implemented:
1. **Active Debris Removal (ADR)**: Technologies such as robotic arms, nets, harpoons, and lasers are being developed to capture and deorbit large debris pieces.
2. **Improved Satellite Design**: Designing satellites with end-of-life disposal plans, such as propulsion systems for deorbiting or moving to a graveyard orbit.
3. **International Guidelines and Policies**: Organizations like the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) advocate for guidelines to limit debris creation, including measures like passivation of spent rocket stages and debris mitigation standards.
4. **Space Traffic Management**: Enhanced tracking and collision avoidance systems to predict and prevent potential collisions.
By adopting these strategies, the space community aims to reduce the debris population, ensuring safer and more sustainable space operations.
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the short answer is yes. and the long one is that countries like India with their space program ISRO have already used this method for their space ships to launch them further in space. as we know ISRO functions on a fraction of budget compared to giants like NASA we have to find new and innovativeRead more
the short answer is yes.
and the long one is that countries like India with their space program ISRO have already used this method for their space ships to launch them further in space.
as we know ISRO functions on a fraction of budget compared to giants like NASA we have to find new and innovative ways to make our rockets cheaper.
when launching a spacecraft further in space one of the most laborious task is to design a powerful engine which can lift of heavy weights off the earths gravitational force, but this creates a paradox, if you build more powerful engine it gets heavier, so to lift this extra weight u need an even more powerful engine, but this new engine will be even heavier.
so in order to solve this problem ISRO used earths gravity to escape earth gravity, the encircled earth like a satellite and using a catapult like system they thrusted the space shuttle out of earths gravity and into the space to reach mars(the mangalyan)
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