Let's clean....what? space junk!

Hey there!

It's been a while I connected to you, hope you are doing well. And with no more late let's jump into my next TQE-2.

If in case you are unaware of what's TQE? 

TQE refers to Thought - Question - Explanation. Taking a leap from my thought thereby question on it and relating to our real world, and then drafting an explanation. Cool, well its not any rocket science yet a thinkable concept though!

TQE 2:

Thought: Keeping a clean environment is a routine and indeed a saving method for human life.

Question: Yes, we have "cleaning departments" on our home ground - The Earth, but which department cleans in space?

Explanation: 
Space debris, also known as space waste or space trash, is a growing problem in our solar system. As we continue to launch more and more satellites and spacecraft into orbit, the amount of debris in space is increasing at an alarming rate. This debris can pose a serious threat to active satellites and even the International Space Station, as collisions can cause significant damage or even render them inoperable. So, the question arises, who is responsible for cleaning up this space debris?

Well, What's space debris anyway?

First and foremost, it's important to understand that space debris comes in many forms, including defunct satellites, rocket stages, and fragments from collisions. Some debris is relatively small, while other pieces can be quite large, such as entire rocket stages that have been discarded after a launch.

Below is an image of how debris looks like:

One of the main organizations responsible for tracking and managing space debris is NASA. NASA's Orbital Debris Program Office (ODPO) is responsible for monitoring space debris and assessing the potential risk it poses to active satellites and the International Space Station. The ODPO uses a variety of tools and techniques to track debris, including ground-based radar and telescopes, as well as space-based sensors and satellites.

Tools:

A radar prototype for tracking space junk:

A net and a harpoon, another method says Aerospace engineers:

NASA's Orbital Debris Observatory houses, for orbital debris in geosynchronous, low and medium Earth orbits:

Another major player in the effort to clean up space debris is the European Space Agency (ESA). The agency operates a Space Debris Office that is responsible for tracking and analyzing debris in orbit. Like NASA, the ESA uses a variety of tools and techniques to track debris, including ground-based radar, telescopes, and satellites.

ESA's ClearSpace Mission-1:

In addition to these major space agencies, there are also a number of private companies that are working to develop technologies for cleaning up space debris. For example, companies like Astroscale and CleanSpace One are working on developing robotic systems that can capture and remove debris from orbit.

Astroscale's mission:

“We need to grab a piece of debris, bring it down to a lower orbit, release it and head back up,” Blackerby said. 

These systems could potentially be used to remove large pieces of debris, such as discarded rocket stages, that are too large to be tracked and avoided by active satellites.

While space agencies and private companies are working to develop new technologies and techniques for cleaning up space debris, it's important to remember that the best way to address the problem is to prevent it from happening in the first place. This means that space agencies and private companies must work together to develop guidelines and regulations for the safe and responsible use of space.

Sustainable space concept from UNOOSA, ESA:

One example of such guidelines is the "Kessler syndrome", which states that the density of objects in low Earth orbit is increasing and could lead to a cascade of collisions that would generate even more debris and make the situation worse. This phenomenon was first proposed in 1978 by NASA scientist Donald Kessler. 

Proposed solutions:

One solution that has been proposed to address the Kessler syndrome is to establish "debris removal zones" around active satellites and the International Space Station. These zones would be designated areas where debris removal activities could take place without interfering with the operation of active satellites.

In my opinion, another important step in preventing space debris is to ensure that all spacecraft and satellites are designed and built with "end-of-life disposal" in mind. This means that spacecraft and satellites should be designed to be deorbited or otherwise safely disposed of after they have reached the end of their operational lives. Timelapse of increase in space debris:

In conclusion, space debris is a growing problem that poses a serious threat to active satellites and even the International Space Station. Space agencies and private companies are also developing technologies for cleaning up space debris, but the best way to address the problem is to prevent it from happening in the first place. This requires the cooperation of space agencies, private companies, and international organizations to develop guidelines and regulations for the safe and responsible use of space.

With everyone working together, we can keep our solar system clean and free of space debris for generations to come.

Well....I've got another continuation thought that: How to utilize the space debris, a similar pattern of 3Rs concept? Let's see that in our next TQE.

Hope you liked this post and learnt something new today. Thank you for your time. Let's share more knowledge in the comments section below.