Will the increase in space missions cause technological breakdowns? Experts think so – News18

Gravity, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, is the thrilling story of two astronauts stranded in space after their shuttle collides with debris. Although this story is fictional, scientists and astronomers are now concerned about the dangers of increasing space missions. This dangerous situation was first imagined in 1978 by American astrophysicist Donald Kessler, later known as Kessler syndrome. Experts warn that the scenario presented in Gravity could soon become reality, rendering the Internet, phones, GPS and television inaccessible for several years. If the satellites are destroyed, they will create more debris.

In his research paper, Collision Frequency of Artificial Satellites: The Creation of a Debris Belt, Donald mentioned: “As the number of artificial satellites in Earth’s orbit increases, so does the probability of collisions between satellites. Satellite collisions would produce fragments in orbit, each of which would increase the likelihood of further collisions, leading to the growth of a debris belt around Earth. This process parallels some theories regarding the growth of the asteroid belt. The flow of debris in such a belt orbiting Earth could exceed the natural flow of meteoroids, thereby affecting the design of future spacecraft.

According to NASA, the problem was first noticed in the 1970s, when old Delta rockets left in orbit began to explode, spilling parts of metal and other materials. Donald Kessler showed that when the level of debris is too high in a certain area of ​​space, it can trigger a series of collisions. Once this process begins, using the orbit will become dangerous. Donald also predicted that it would take around 30 to 40 years to reach this tipping point and some experts now believe we may have already reached that point.

Meanwhile, referring to Donald Kessler’s study, John L. Crassidis, professor of innovation and space debris expert at the University at Buffalo, told National News: “Kessler syndrome is going to come true. If the probability of a collision is so great that we can’t send a satellite into space, then we’re in trouble.”

Until 2023, there would have been around 10,000 satellites in space, as well as more than 100 trillion pieces of old satellites that are not being tracked. Crassidis added that in 2009, an obsolete Russian satellite named Kosmos 2251 crashed into an American commercial satellite called Iridium. The collision created a huge debris field. Pieces from this incident could easily collide with other objects in space and some are so dangerous they could even kill astronauts on missions.

To protect both humanity and space, John L. Crassidis and Amrith Mariappan suggested in their research paper that recycling space debris is the only solution. They believe that instead of wasting old satellites and their debris, we can turn them into useful materials for future space missions. By reusing space junk, we can reduce waste and create a more sustainable future in space.