Defunct satellites and other man-made objects that continue to move around Earth’s orbit long after serving their purpose make up the majority of space debris. With thousands of satellites expected to be launched in the coming years, as government-sponsored space exploration slowly gives way to private industry, the accelerating accumulation of waste up there raises the possibility of a “cascading collision” effect called Kessler syndrome which worries scientists. worried.
Kessler syndrome is a hypothetical scenario proposed by NASA scientist Donald J. Kessler in 1978, which predicts that when the density of objects in low Earth orbit (LEO), approximately 100 to 1,200 miles above our planet, reaches a certain critical level, this could lead to a chain reaction of collisions that could render the orbit unfit for human use and bring an end to the space age.
“This syndrome predicts a growing population of space debris that will lead to an increased likelihood of collisions and the creation of additional debris, leading to a cascade of harmful impacts,” points out a 2023 study on the phenomenon, published in the journal Borders.
“Such collisions, even minor ones, can trigger a catastrophic chain reaction, endangering all existing satellites and filling orbits with high-speed debris. Access to space orbits would become extremely difficult and prospects for exploration of the “space could be compromised.”
According to a CNN report citing several experts in the field, we could be witnessing the beginnings of Kessler syndrome.
“The number of objects into space that we have launched in the last four years has increased exponentially, so we are heading towards the situation we always fear,” said Dr. Vishnu Reddy, professor of planetary sciences at the University of Arizona in Tucson. was quoted as saying by the publication.
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What would happen?
The devastating effects of Kessely syndrome were depicted in the 2013 film “Gravity,” where a missile strike on a satellite sets off a chain reaction of collisions. However, in reality, Kessler syndrome would not develop as quickly if scientists gave a timeline spanning decades or even centuries.
According to NASAthere are currently no international space laws for cleaning up debris in LEO. LEO is now considered the largest dump in the world, and it is expensive to remove space debris from LEO because the space junk problem is huge. There are nearly 6,000 tons of material in low Earth orbit.
If a chain reaction of explosions occurred in this orbit, it could threaten the lives of astronauts, stop rocket launches, and lead to the destruction of all satellite technology present there.