The role of the cosmic guardian is to protect our Earth and space technology from damage. Satellites in Earth's orbit can be hit by parts of malfunctioning satellites - space debris. When your grandparents were your age, the space guardian didn't have much to do because there were only a few functional satellites orbiting the Earth. Today there are around 5,000 of them. But the problem is that there are also more than 30,000 pieces of hazardous space debris. It is necessary to monitor this waste and subsequently adjust the positions of active satellites in order to avoid unwanted collisions.
- malfunctioning satellites,
- rocket bodies,
- Fragments of cosmic objects.
- the speed of space debris is ~ 28,000 km/h. Imagine a collision at that speed.
- more than 36,000 objects with a diameter of >10 cm
- more than 1,000,000 objects with a diameter of 1-10 cm
- more than 130,000,000 objects with a diameter of 0.1 - 1 cm
- the total weight of space debris is estimated at 10,100 tons. For example, that's how much the Eiffel Tower in Paris weighs.
- Yes. It is currently the only way to prevent collisions. If we know where hazardous space debris is located, we will be able to command a functioning satellite to perform an evasive maneuver.
- As with waste, especially everyone should try not to produce it.
- In the next few years, space missions are planned that will actively remove space debris.
Experts in Slovakia are also dedicated to monitoring space debris. Astronomers at MatFyz (Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Comenius University in Bratislava) observe cosmic debris using their telescopes. Thanks to these measurements, satellites that you use every day (navigation, weather forecast, maps, satellite television ...), operate more safely and for a longer period of time.
You can learn more about space debris in the lectures:
- SPACE::TALK #06 - Space debris and its research in Slovakia The opposite of space debris are functional devices, thanks to which we can better understand the universe. Did you know that more than 20 such scientific instruments for space satellites have already been manufactured in Košice? During their construction in SPACE::LAB (at the Department of Cosmic Physics, Institute of Experimental Physics SAS, in. in. i.) high standards and precision had to be observed testing. Repairing instruments in space is usually no longer possible.
- ESA - space debris: https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Space_Debris/
- Cosmic Environment Statistics: https://sdup.esoc.esa.int/discosweb/statistics/
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