Discussion on:

Space junk: Worse than you think (pictures)

Have the experts ever considered that this is adding to global warming?

Please keep this quiet. It'll just give the Government another excuse to tax us.

Data's great, but only if you do something with it! What's the point in just tracking unless they're going to collect the stuff or move things out of the way.

Reading some of the comments here reminds we why cable "reality" TV is such a success.
"Contributing to global warming" - Really?
"excuse to tax us", "What's the point in just tracking unless they're going to collect the stuff or move things out of the way. " - Well, just for instance, if you were going to orbit a zillion dollar comm satellite, you might want to place it out of the way.

Or, lots of them, that when full, fire small rockets to propel themselves into the atmosphere and burn up?

We still haven't learned to pick up after ourselves, have we ? Must be gettin' close to time to learn.

hold load of crap, just grab and pack it in, I wonder how long it would take them to clean it all up. After all, all the man made stuff is from people shooting stuff up, so they should clean it up. Heck, maybe an extended mission where they just grab the junk, pack it together, and put it on a planned descent into a safe spot on earth, let it pile up in the middle of White Sands Range or the like. That would make a big difference to the near space environment.

that will eventually drop it into an isolated spot that isn't an ocean. Then go in and pick up afterward.

And if we're lucky, the word on the location will get out and all kinds of wackos will assemble within the designated target zone, thnking they can dodge the big pieces!

...you mean to launch it into a "deteriorating orbit" in the first place, I can tell you that the orbit would decay in days, rather than weeks, making the whole exercise useless. The only "deteriorating orbit" possible is a Low Earth Orbit that periodically scrapes traces of the atmosphere, or experiences tidal deformations. All other orbital solutions are "stable."

Considering we're discussing the stuff that's already up there...

If they did that it would pay for the mission and have some change, We can not have free trips into space now can we?

Col

You are digging yourself a hole you can't get out of. For one thing, though there ARE scads of stuff up there, it's NOT in one zone where you can just "grab it and pack it in," nor is it all just sitting there waiting for you. You would have to boost for half an hour to match orbits, track down the lost bolt, maneuver for another half hour, grab it somehow, and repeat the process ad-infinitum to "get a full cargo."

each other to maintain the orbit. Thus all they need to do is come up on them from behind with a scoop or two travelling just a little above the orbit speed and catch the items as they slowly pass them. Dump into cargo hold, hang out scoop again. Clear that lane and move to the next lane. Very much like dredging a harbour or river channel.

Ever seen the film of a car driving up a ramp into the back of a moving truck, same basic principle. Just be a little faster than what you want to catch.

Picture some crafty individual hiding half a million pieces of junk in places all over the world. Lots of them are as small as bolts. Now picture yourself driving around on the Earth trying to find them all. Now double [the math guys are going to jump on this, it's not double] the area that you have to cover and that's the cleanup effort in space.

Hawaii is one of the tools NASA uses to image satellites and measure the spectra of orbital debris.

NASA is using Hawaii to image satellites? Now that's a sophisticated state! <throws a shaka>

Or did you mean NASA is using the AEOS to image satellites?

Sounds so much better.

However I can not help but wonder how the people of Hawaii actually do the imaging.

Col

You might want to use Google or Wikiedia to learn more before posting. As a starter, look at info about the telescope sites on top of several of the volcano craters...10,500 feet ASL and some that are higher. They get really good views from up there.

Before the world can be attacked by space zombies they would have to get through our first line of defence - "Space debris :)" - when this happens our western earthlings can sit back and say "this was our calculated effort in protecting the earth " while we all watch the alien space crafts as they plummet helplessly into the earth due to damage from Space junk.
Can't have this as a movie plot though it would all be over within 5min.

but if we really want to clean it up, I suggest "Operation Vacu-Suck" from Spaceballs.

LOL! On the other hand, does a fan rotating in the vacuum of space actually DO anything? So exactly how DOES one vacuum up a vacuum?

...with a vacuum pump.

nt

Were it NOT for one of the Bush's (?) we would still have at least ONE Space Shuttle available to do a cleanup job IF we decided it prudent.
WHen ONE of the BUSH IDIOTS were in power, a private conglomeration asked if THEY could build a shuttle; they were TURNED DOWN COLD...So NOW we have to rely on any number of nation's to get payloads into space?!?!?
So much for being a leader!!!

from developing their own space program or space craft at their own expense. What Bush did was refuse to pay them for doing it. So blame the company for not going ahead.

they could have sold the junk for scrap or something to help pay for the trip.

nt

lots of people would want something from space.

Where can I get an old melted titanium bolt? I've been looking for one FOREVER!

be surprised. "Wow, that was in SPACE? Really? I'll take a dozen!" We're talking abut people that think the Kardashians (whoever they are) are more important than education and learning about a candidate for office before they vote.

NASCAR teams sell the used tires from their races and have no trouble getting buyers.

See also Pet Rocks, Tamigo-whatevers, the Snuggie, and bottled water.

E Bay I'm sure that you'll find one there and if you can't I'll run a Gas Axe over one and lie to you that it's what's left after reentry to make much more on it.

After all if you think some people are crazy you'll then understand the Pet Rock Fad of a few years ago, or the Bidding on Moon Rocks that where never supposed to be sold.

Col

Big trick missed here by all the space agencies around the world. If they had organised a night out to the cinema for all the beardy weirdies who designed and built the formative 'cutting-edge technology', which is now space junk, they would have realised that all great cinematic space vehicles include a SELF DESTRUCT BUTTON. Sure, it's there to add drama and tension as the various sets of heroes attempt to extricate themselves from vessels before they explode into a billion minute pieces but it was put there, originally, for a very practical purpose. That purpose was space junk avoidance - future-proofing space against any health and safety issues that may arise from loose floating debris. Wake up and smell the popcorn NASA, ESA et al!

Hal9000:
Everything that causes heat contributes to Global Warming. However, a single volcanic eruption does more than the entire past 100 years. The total number of rocket launches since the 1940s is only a drop of water in the ocean in comparison. Sure, each drop contributes. But we have a long way to go to reach the trillions of drops necessary to make a difference.

Deadly Ernest:
You are wrong. The thing stopping private companies from developing their own spacecraft or programs is the cost of complying with government regulations. The EPA waivers alone for air pollution, launch site alteration and hazardous waste would bankrupt most companies. Then add the FAA, DHS, FBI clearances; it adds up quick.

Silent Running:
Self destruct just makes a whole lot of little peices. Turning a single cannon ball into a shotgun cloud and increasing the chances of a hit. What you want is launch vehicles and satellites that don't shed pieces during launch or operation. And have the ability to do a controlled deorbit to drop them into the ocean or burn up for disposal. Better yet, is to drop them in a location you can pick up the peices, or recover it.

All that junk will eventually "clear itself" from our skys by solar wind, atmospheric drag, or gravitational imbalances accelerating them to escape velocity or deaccelerating them to deorbit. The problem is that doesn't happen fast enough to make much difference to us.

within the USA or a country requiring them, not all do.

There are many ways to get around it.

Also, the tech in those shuttles is painfully out dated, we already have engines in development that can run in air and space, we are not far from having airplanes that can fly into space and back down again.

in the USA somewhere? One of the deserts I think.

in New Mexico. http://spaceportamerica.com/

at the end of their usable period.

vehicle and gear pays them a visit.