In our previous articles, we mentioned that the planet we live on is polluted for many different reasons and will become uninhabitable at some point. If you think we can go to space if we can’t live here Unfortunately, the space is now also polluted. As part of the space studies that began in the second half of the 20th century, many spacecraft and parts of them that we sent out of the atmosphere are just standing there.

It would be wrong to say they just stand there, because these parts that make up space pollution rotate very quickly and collide with each other as well as newly launched satellites and missiles. This, of course, has implications for both the satellite-based communications systems we use today and future space missions. Bride What is space pollution, what are its causes and what can be done to prevent it? Let’s take a closer look at the frequently asked questions.

What is space pollution, what are its causes, how can it be prevented?

What is space pollution?

Since 1957, the countless rockets, spacecraft and satellites that we have sent beyond Earth have junk due to disuse or disintegration, staying in orbit That’s called space pollution. While some pieces of debris that create space pollution are quite small, some can be as large as a car.

NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, After the first space studies started in 1957 He started keeping track of those parts that were sent into space and considered waste or rubble because they were no longer used. The first debris to be added to the database was the Sputnik satellite sent into space in 1967 by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

In the intervening years, the space has become very confused. Shared by the European Space Agency ESA According to space pollution data, 900 thousand objects with dimensions from 1 to 10 cm and 34 thousand objects with dimensions larger than 10 cm are currently orbiting the Earth. However, they don’t just go around. These objects, which cause space pollution, have a speed of 28 thousand km per hour. It is not difficult to predict how devastating the impact of the collisions will be.

Objects that make up space pollution:

According to the data on space pollution shared by the European Space Agency, rubble and waste Three of them stand out:

• Satellites that are not in active service and fragmented due to many different causes.
• Rockets that were used on space missions and left there and broken down for many different reasons.
• Tools, screws, cables, cameras and similar items used during space missions.

The European Space Agency includes such objects that cause space pollution. sort by size makes a much more detailed analysis. The basic dimensions of space debris are as follows;

• Objects 1 cm and less in number, estimated at over 128 million.
• Objects ranging in size from 1 to 10 cm, the number of which is estimated to be more than 900,000.
• Large objects with dimensions of 10 cm and more, the number of which is estimated at over 34 thousand.

What are the causes of space pollution?

• Satellites that are no longer in use
• fallen objects
• Missiles and parts used in space missions
• space weapons

Satellites that are no longer in use:

For many years we have been sending satellites into space for use in communication technologies. This one Satellites have a certain lifespan. Batteries die or get old. It used to be thought that these satellites would return to Earth in time and be destroyed by disintegration in the atmosphere. But today we know those satellites are still in orbit.

Dropped Objects:

It may seem funny, but hey, astronauts going into space also drop a lot of items. For example, in 2008, astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper He dropped a huge bag full of tools. After orbiting the Earth more than 4,000 times, this bag entered the atmosphere and disintegrated. But given what’s fallen over the years, it’s hard to imagine they’ve all suffered the same fate.

Missiles and parts used in space missions:

If you’ve watched the rocket launch videos, you’ve seen that even when a single rocket is dispatched, it continues on its way, leaving a few bits behind along the way. Some of these fragments, mostly fuel capsules, break off and fall into the ocean while still at the Earth’s boundaries. However some of them fall after leaving the atmosphere they become one of the largest objects of space pollution. There are also capsules and rockets that disintegrate and disintegrate into millions of tiny pieces.

Space weapons:

No, not the kind of weapons we saw in Star Trek. During the US-USSR space competition in the 1960s and 1970s Many anti-satellite weapons were tested. In fact, the US used one of these in 1985 to destroy the one-ton Solwind satellite. China and India also started developing space weapons with their space studies. All of these are spinning in orbit as part of space pollution.

What are the consequences of space pollution?

According to space pollution data shared by the European Space Agency, space explorations began in 1957. The first accidents started in 1961. There have been more than 560 fragmentation events due to fuel explosions. The number of accidents caused by objects that cause space pollution is currently seven. However, they can be quite dangerous. For example, an inactive satellite called Kosmos 2551 crashed into the satellite called Iridium 33 and completely destroyed it.

The greatest danger of space pollution is caused by small parts. Paint chips, frozen fuel residue and solidified antifreeze drops can damage the solar panels of used satellites. In addition, when they explode, they can damage the atmosphere because they are flammable.

There is also the nuclear aspect of the matter. As an energy source in some obsolete Russian satellites Nuclear batteries containing intense radioactive substances are known to be used. In other words, these batteries can create a nuclear explosion effect upon impact. Pieces too large to disappear as they pass through Earth’s atmosphere have even been seen to reach the surface and cause significant damage.

How to avoid space pollution?

While there are countless measures we can all take to prevent pollution of the world, there are measures that will prevent pollution of space States and private companies engaged in space studies. Some of the measures that can be taken by institutions and companies engaged in space research are the following;

• Launching new satellites in Perigee and elliptical orbits where they will eventually disintegrate much more easily.
• Using satellites that self-destruct in the atmosphere.
• Reducing the risk of explosion by removing the energy source, even if it is no longer in use.
• Making reusable rockets by returning to Earth intact, examples of which we are beginning to see.
• Destruction of objects causing space pollution using powerful lasers.

affect the communication technologies we use and future space studies. What is space pollution, what are the causes, how do you prevent it? We answered the frequently asked questions and talked about the details you need to know about the topic. You can share your thoughts on space studies and space pollution in the comments.