A recent incident involving the Intelsat 33e satellite has reignited concerns about the accumulation of space debris orbiting Earth, raising fears that the Kessler Syndrome could become a reality. The US Space Command reported on October 19 that the satellite had broken up into approximately 20 pieces, although the cause remains unknown.
The break-up is part of a growing problem with tracking and managing space debris. According to Bill Therien, chief technology officer at ExoAnalytic Solutions, tracked objects range from small fragments roughly the size of a softball to larger pieces up to a car door. The majority of these objects are on the smaller end of this spectrum, making it challenging to consistently observe all the debris pieces.
The Kessler Syndrome, first proposed in 1978 by NASA scientists Donald Kessler and Burton Cour-Palais, predicts that an increase in space debris will lead to collisions and catastrophic chain reactions. If left unchecked, this could render space unusable. Experts warn that if a collision is so great that it prevents satellites from being launched, we’re in trouble.
Since the dawn of spaceflight in 1957, there have been over 650 “break-ups, explosions, collisions, or anomalous events resulting in fragmentation.” The number of active satellites orbiting Earth has increased to over 10,000, with more than 6,800 belonging to Elon Musk’s Starlink broadband network. This proliferation is making the orbital environment increasingly crowded, heightening the risk of collisions.
The risks of debris and cascading crashes could continue to rise as companies launch large numbers of satellites. Congestion in orbit poses hazards not only to astronauts but also to satellites and space-based technologies that power everyday lives, including GPS tools, broadband services, high-speed internet, and television.
Experts emphasize the need for international cooperation to establish binding regulations to mitigate these risks. Research into active measures to safely track and remove debris from low Earth orbit is ongoing, with initiatives like the European Space Agency’s Clearsat-1 satellite aiming to reduce the amount of debris by capturing and deorbiting defunct satellites.
Source: https://www.jpost.com/science/science-around-the-world/article-835264