Explained: How Kessler Syndrome And How Space Debris Are Posing Threat For The Humans

The science of astronomy never fails to amaze humans as new developments and discoveries baffle the curious mind of humans. As we are reaching new heights of technology, we often tend to forget the negative outcomes of it and today we will talk about one such problem.

The problem of Space Debris or Junk, which recently slammed into the moon and created a wide crater. This heated the debate of space debris among the international communities. What is space debris and how is it causing a serious issue.

AFP/Representational image

Space Debris Collided with Moon

Recently, Chinese rocket debris allegedly collided with the moon and created a 65 feet wide crater on the lunar surface. According to several media reports, the rocket debris weighed 3 tonnes was considered the first known unintentional lunar collision (space hardware) excluding crashes while trying to land on the moon. However, China has rejected this claim.

Initially, the collision was thought to be SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that launched the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite in February 2015. Though, astronomer Bill Gray suggested that the object was part of the Long March 3C rocket that launched China's Chang'e 5-T1 mission in 2014.

What is Space Debris?

Space debris also called space junk, is discarded launch vehicles or parts of a spacecraft that floats in space carrying a risk of collision with satellites or a space station.

AFP/Representational image

According to the NASA website, debris can be both natural meteoroid and artificial (human-made) orbital debris. It is caused by the country¡¯s missile testing to shoot down their satellites or explosions in space. In simple words, satellites going in space have the full potential of becoming space junk.

The speed of space debris orbiting around the earth is over 15,700 miles per hour (25,265 kph) in low Earth orbit.

What is Kessler Syndrome or Kessler Effect?

The Kessler Syndrome is a phenomenon in which the density of objects in the Low Earth Orbit grows so high that collisions between two objects could cause a massive cascade. The collisions could increase the scope of further collisions generating more space junk. This causes more and more debris problems and negatively impacts satellites, astronauts and mission planners.

Donald J Kessler, a NASA scientist gave the term and discussed it in his paper titled Collision Frequency of Artificial Satellites: The Creation of a Debris Belt. It was published in 1978. He talked about the problems caused by ¡®space junk¡¯ and described a self-sustaining cascading collision of space debris in the Low Earth orbit.

This phenomenon is known as Kessler Syndrome or Kessler Effect or collisional cascading or an ablation cascade.

Earth¡¯s Ring, made of Junk

Last year, University of Utah professor Jake Abbott said that debris that now orbits Earth will soon take on the visual character of rings, which will be made of junk.

Space.com/Representational image

The European Space Agency estimated 170 million pieces of space debris in orbit. These pieces are are larger than one millimetre and about 670,000 of these are larger than half an inch.

Is there any solution?

As professor Jake Abbott explained in his published article attaching magnets to a robotic arm could help in the situation. He said that a robotic arm with magnets can scoop out junk as electrical currents called eddies could help control and slow down space junk. He called it the "world's first tractor beam."

Furthermore, Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) initiated the world's first debris removal mission. JAXA launched a demonstration project with Astroscale.

Countries need to consider sending missions up to remove some of the larger pieces and ensure future missions have technology on-board to remove themselves.

Moreover, it¡¯s a global problem and every country should come up with solutions to tackle the ever-growing risk of space and debris and ensure a sustainable future for coming generations.

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