Greta Jimenez
Space pollution, also known as space junk, space debris, space waste, space trash, space garbage, or cosmic debris, refers to defunct human-made objects in space that no longer serve a useful function. This includes derelict spacecraft, inactive satellites, rocket boosters, and items discarded by astronauts. Since the beginning of the space age in the 1950s, thousands of rockets and satellites have been launched into space, and many remain in orbit, posing an ever-increasing risk of collision. The accumulation of space pollution is a global problem that requires international cooperation and the development of policies to address the issue.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Other names | Space junk, space waste, space trash, space garbage, cosmic debris, orbital debris |
| Definition | Defunct human-made objects in space that no longer serve a useful function |
| Examples | Inactive satellites, rockets, debris from missiles, detritus left behind by astronauts, paint chips, etc. |
| Speed | More than 28,000 kilometres per hour (15,000-18,000 miles per hour), 10 times faster than a bullet |
| Number of objects | 900,000 objects over 1 cm in size, 34,000 objects larger than 10 cm, 100 million pieces of debris larger than 1 mm |
| Risk | Can puncture a spacesuit, destroy electronics, damage solar panels, cause explosions, and disperse pollutants into the atmosphere |
| Removal | No international space laws for removal, no binding international regulatory framework, unclear who will pay for cleanup |
| Prevention | NASA Handbook for Limiting Orbital Debris, NASA Procedural Requirements for Limiting Orbital Debris, NASA Process for Limiting Orbital Debris, etc. |
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What You'll Learn
- Space junk: inactive satellites, rocket parts, astronaut litter, etc
- Causes of space pollution: collisions, anti-satellite tests, accidental/deliberate destruction
- Effects of space pollution: endangerment of missions, terrestrial communications, air pollution
- Space pollution clean-up: lack of regulations, responsibility, and cost
- Space pollution prevention: proposed policies, international cooperation, and compliance
Space junk: inactive satellites, rocket parts, astronaut litter, etc
Space junk, also known as space debris, is any piece of machinery or debris left by humans in space. It can refer to big objects such as inactive satellites that have failed or been left in orbit at the end of their mission. There are currently about 2,000 active satellites orbiting the Earth, with 3,000 dead ones littering space. There are also 34,000 pieces of space junk bigger than 10 centimetres and millions of smaller pieces that could prove disastrous if they hit something.
Space junk is the result of us launching objects from Earth, and it remains in orbit until it re-enters the atmosphere. Objects in lower orbits of a few hundred kilometres can return to Earth within a few years and usually burn up before they reach the ground. However, debris or satellites left at higher altitudes of 36,000 kilometres can continue to circle the Earth for hundreds or even thousands of years.
Space junk is accumulating at an alarming rate. Since space exploration began, more than 15,000 satellites have been launched, and now rocket launches take place more than three times a week, with many deploying multiple satellites. In the year 2000, there were around 8,000 trackable pieces of debris in space. By 2019, this number had risen to 20,000, and just four years later, there are nearly 30,000 pieces of junk larger than a softball floating in space.
Space junk can also result from collisions or anti-satellite tests in orbit. When two satellites collide, they can break apart into thousands of new pieces, creating lots of new debris. This is rare, but several countries, including the USA, China, and India, have used missiles to practice blowing up their own satellites. This creates thousands of new pieces of dangerous debris.
The biggest danger posed by space junk is to other satellites in orbit. These satellites have to move out of the way of incoming space junk to avoid being hit and potentially damaged or destroyed. Hundreds of collision avoidance manoeuvres are performed every year, including by the International Space Station (ISS).
There have been efforts to address the issue of space junk. The United Nations has asked that all companies remove their satellites from orbit within 25 years after the end of their mission. However, this is tricky to enforce, as satellites can and do fail. Several companies have proposed novel solutions, such as using a harpoon, net, magnets, or lasers to remove dead satellites from orbit and bring them back into the atmosphere to burn up.
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Causes of space pollution: collisions, anti-satellite tests, accidental/deliberate destruction
Space pollution, also known as space junk, space waste, space trash, space garbage, or cosmic debris, refers to defunct human-made objects in space that no longer serve a useful function. These objects are principally in Earth orbit and include derelict spacecraft, abandoned launch vehicle stages, mission-related debris, and fragmentation debris from the breakup of derelict rocket bodies and spacecraft.
Causes of Space Pollution:
Collisions
Space junk can result from collisions between satellites or other objects in orbit. While such collisions are rare, when they do occur, they can create thousands of new pieces of debris. For example, in 2009, a collision between the Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 satellites resulted in the creation of numerous new pieces of space junk. More recently, in March 2021, a Chinese satellite was destroyed due to a collision. As we launch more objects into space, the risk of collisions increases, leading to a potential chain reaction of objects colliding and generating more space junk.
Anti-Satellite Tests
Anti-satellite tests (ASATs) conducted by countries such as the United States, Russia, China, and India have contributed significantly to space pollution. These tests involve the deliberate destruction of satellites to test anti-satellite or anti-ballistic missile technology. Each of these tests can create thousands of new pieces of dangerous debris, posing a risk to other satellites and spacecraft.
Accidental/Deliberate Destruction
In addition to anti-satellite tests, accidental and deliberate destruction of satellites can also create space pollution. Satellites may accidentally break apart due to explosions caused by leftover propellant, or they may be intentionally destroyed to prevent sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands. For example, the United States intercepted the USA-193 satellite, creating space debris.
Space pollution is a growing concern as the number of objects in orbit increases. While most small pieces of debris burn up in the atmosphere, larger objects can reach the ground intact, and even small pieces of debris can be disastrous if they collide with functioning satellites or spacecraft.
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Effects of space pollution: endangerment of missions, terrestrial communications, air pollution
Space pollution, also known as space junk, space waste, or cosmic debris, refers to defunct human-made objects in space that no longer serve a useful function. This includes derelict spacecraft, mission-related debris, and fragmentation debris from the breakup of rocket bodies and spacecraft. The accumulation of space pollution has several effects, including endangering missions, disrupting terrestrial communications, and contributing to air pollution.
Endangerment of Missions
The buildup of space pollution endangers future missions and ongoing missions in several ways. Firstly, the presence of space debris increases the risk of collisions with operational spacecraft and satellites. Collisions can result in the creation of additional debris, as seen in the 2009 collision between Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251. Additionally, small fragments, such as micrometeorites and paint flakes, can damage critical components like solar panels on active satellites, impairing their functionality. The International Space Station (ISS) frequently performs collision avoidance maneuvers to mitigate the risk of damage from space debris.
Disruption of Terrestrial Communications
The European Space Agency (ESA) estimates that there are approximately 900,000 objects larger than one centimetre in size that are unnecessarily orbiting the Earth. This space pollution endangers terrestrial telecommunications. The presence of numerous inactive satellites and fragments from rocket launches in Earth's orbit can interfere with communication signals and disrupt our ability to transmit and receive information.
Air Pollution
Space pollution also contributes to air pollution and has negative effects on the Earth's atmosphere. Rocket launches release exhaust and soot into the middle and upper layers of the atmosphere, which can eventually settle in the stratosphere, the layer containing the ozone layer. The ozone layer is crucial for protecting us from the sun's harmful radiation. The soot from rockets is significantly more efficient at heating the atmosphere compared to soot from sources closer to the Earth's surface, such as airplanes. Additionally, pollutants from spacecraft combustion and emissions from spacecraft thrusters contribute to global warming and ozone layer depletion.
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Space pollution clean-up: lack of regulations, responsibility, and cost
Space pollution, also known as space junk, space debris, or cosmic debris, refers to defunct human-made objects in space that no longer serve a useful function. This includes derelict spacecraft, abandoned launch vehicle stages, mission-related debris, and fragmentation debris from the breakup of rocket bodies and other spacecraft. Since the beginning of the space age in the 1950s, thousands of rockets and satellites have been launched into space, and many are still in orbit. While most debris burns up in the atmosphere, larger objects can reach the ground intact, contributing to air pollution and posing risks to people and property.
The issue of space pollution cleanup is complex due to a lack of regulations, unclear responsibility, and high costs. There is currently no binding international regulatory framework for addressing space pollution. The Outer Space Treaty, signed by 136 countries, defines objects in space as the sovereign territory of the launching nation, which complicates cleanup efforts as consent from the owner nation is required for removal. Additionally, there is a lack of commercial incentive to act, as costs are not typically assigned to polluters.
The United Nations has taken steps to address the issue, with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) drawing attention to the dangers of space waste. The UN also recommends that satellites be removed from orbit within 25 years after their mission ends. However, enforcing this guideline is challenging due to the frequent failure of satellites. While several companies have proposed innovative solutions, such as using harpoons or nets to capture dead satellites, the responsibility for cleanup remains unclear.
The cost of cleaning up space pollution is another significant challenge. Removing debris from low Earth orbit (LEO), which currently has 85% pollution, is particularly expensive. There are nearly 6,000 tons of materials in LEO, and the problem is only growing with increasing space activity. The lack of regulations and the gold rush approach to space exploration further contribute to the accumulation of space junk.
To effectively address the issue of space pollution cleanup, international cooperation and collaboration are essential. Countries and private companies must work together to develop and comply with policies that support sustainable space exploration and the preservation of the space environment for future missions. While the Artemis Accords, created and signed by NASA, provide non-binding principles for peaceful cooperation in space, they do not include participation from all major spacefaring nations, notably China and Russia. As space activities continue to increase, the urgency of implementing comprehensive solutions to tackle space pollution becomes ever more critical.
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Space pollution prevention: proposed policies, international cooperation, and compliance
Space pollution, also known as space junk, space waste, or cosmic debris, refers to defunct human-made objects in space that no longer serve a useful function. This includes derelict spacecraft, mission-related debris, and fragmentation debris from the breakup of rocket bodies and spacecraft. The Low Earth Orbit (LEO), at an orbital altitude of less than 2,000 km, currently has 85% pollution.
Proposed Policies for Space Pollution Prevention
To address the issue of space pollution, various policies and guidelines have been proposed and implemented by different organizations and countries. Here are some key examples:
- The United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) Space Mitigation Guidelines: These guidelines provide recommendations for minimizing space debris and protecting current and future spacecraft from collisions.
- Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) Mitigation Policies and Practices: The IADC, a group of international space agencies, has developed policies and practices to mitigate space debris and promote safe space operations.
- U.S. Government Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices: The U.S. government has established standard practices to minimize the generation of orbital debris and protect operational spacecraft.
- European Space Agency (ESA) Space Debris Mitigation Policy: ESA's policy aims to reduce the amount of space debris generated by its activities and defines the roles and responsibilities within the agency for space debris mitigation.
- Zero Debris Charter: ESA facilitated the creation of this charter, which is a global initiative that invites all space entities to commit to the shared goal of eliminating space debris.
International Cooperation and Compliance
While there has been progress in developing policies and guidelines for space pollution prevention, ensuring compliance and international cooperation remains a challenge. Here are some aspects to consider:
- Lack of Binding International Regulatory Framework: As of 2017, there is no comprehensive international agreement or regulatory framework specifically for space pollution. The existing treaties and guidelines provide recommendations, but compliance is often voluntary.
- Institutional Factors: Political, legal, economic, and cultural factors have been identified as impediments to the cleanup of near-Earth space. There is a lack of commercial incentive to address space pollution, as costs are not typically assigned to polluters.
- Technological Solutions: While technological solutions for space debris removal have been proposed, their effectiveness has been limited. Methods such as active debris removal (ADR) and the use of green fuels have been suggested to mitigate and prevent space pollution.
- Collision Avoidance and Space Traffic Coordination: Best practices for collision avoidance and space traffic coordination have been established to reduce the risk of generating additional space debris.
- Lunar Orbits and Astronomy Interference: The emerging issues of space debris in lunar orbits and interference with radio and optical astronomy are being addressed with preliminary requirements that will continue to evolve.
To effectively address space pollution prevention, international cooperation, and compliance, a comprehensive legal regime, cost assignment structure, and binding regulations are necessary. Additionally, the implementation of mitigation technologies, pollution prevention techniques, and the use of green fuels can help reduce the impact of space activities on the environment.
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Frequently asked questions
Space pollution, also known as space junk, space debris, space waste, space trash, space garbage, or cosmic debris, refers to defunct human-made objects in space that no longer serve a useful function.
Examples of space pollution include derelict spacecraft, inactive satellites, rocket boosters, and items discarded by astronauts such as gloves, wrenches, and toothbrushes.
There is a significant amount of space pollution, with the European Space Agency (ESA) estimating that there are around 900,000 objects measuring between 1 and 10 cm in orbit and approximately 34,000 larger than 10 cm.
Space pollution poses several risks, including endangering future space missions, disrupting terrestrial communications, and damaging active satellites or other spacecraft through collisions. The speed at which these objects move, often exceeding 15,000 mph, further exacerbates the potential hazards.
