In the 2013 Hollywood movie titled Gravity, a terrifying event of a space disaster is depicted where a satellite crash results in a deadly cloud of space debris, annihilating all in its way. What appears to be science fiction is rooted in an actual scientific risk known as the Kessler Syndrome, and scientists confirm that the threat is growing due to more crowding of Earth’s orbit.
A concept that was first described in 1978, the Kessler Syndrome cautions that once the number of satellites and objects clustered in low Earth orbit becomes too high, a single collision could cause a cascading series of impacts. This would cause a debris storm that would render the space unusable in years to come.
Vinals, an aerospace engineer at Sener Aerospace, says the problem can already be seen.
Even the International Space Station is not immune to being hit occasionally by tiny particles and meteorites, and they must alter their orbit to prevent danger. These are little things at the moment, though they might be very serious in the future, said he.
The space junk is a cloud that trails Earth today. These consist of damaged satellites, used rocket fragments and even equipment that had fallen off astronauts. Scientists approximate that there are about 36,000 chunks of debris bigger than 10 centimetres floating about our planet at high velocities. A small piece can do enormous harm due to its speed.
This is a point of great concern, Vinals explained. The problem has no powerful international regulations to contain it, and the satellites are multiplying at a very fast rate.
A number of options have been proposed to clean up space which include nets, robotic arms or even mighty lasers shot earthward to clear space debris. But Vinals reckons that the ultimate long-term answer is to build satellites that can easily come back to Earth after they are finished with their work.
In the future, he said, every satellite must have a system that enables it to de-orbite and burn up in the atmosphere when it is not needed. This would be enforced by stronger regulation.
Vinals and his group are developing a smarter methodology known as in-orbit servicing as part of the EU funded ORU-BOAS project. They do not want to get rid of old satellites, but instead have them repaired and improved in space.
They have a concept of constructing modular satellites like Lego blocks where damaged or obsolete components can be changed. Batteries, controllers and de-orbit kits would be delivered to satellites with special service payloads ensuring longer working life and safely eliminating failed components in orbit.
We envision satellites composed of modules, Vinals said. Failing any of the parts also means that you can just swap out the failed part rather than toss out the entire satellite.
Though the technology is still on its knees, analysts are optimistic that in-orbit servicing is a possibility by 2035. As the number of satellites has already multiplied ten times over the past ten years, demand on such offers is expected to expand.
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With the growing congestion of space, scientists have alerted that it is high time to take action before a tragedy like Gravity is turned into reality.
