Somebody clean this mess up - April 15, 2008
We’ve really made a mess of space. Recently released by the European Space Agency, these images show the trackable objects in orbit round Earth (apart from the Moon, obviously).
Since Sputnik in 1957 and the start of this year we’ve put around 6,000 satellites into orbit, according to the agency. Around 800 are currently operational, which leaves a lot of junk.
“Space debris comprise the ever-increasing amount of inactive space hardware in orbit around the Earth as well as fragments of spacecraft that have broken up, exploded or otherwise become abandoned,” says ESA. “About 50 percent of all trackable objects are due to in-orbit explosion events (about 200) or collision events (less than 10).”
More images below the fold
Objects in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) - view over the North Pole
Debris objects in low-Earth orbit (LEO)
Trackable objects in orbit around Earth, detail
Images: ESA
Comments
This is really eye-opening. I wonder at what point our popular concept of "the environment" will include low earth orbit. Would make for some interesting debates about "conservation" and responsibility for stewardship.
Plus, I've always wanted to have my remains shot into space after my demise. Now I just feel like I'd be polluting space. :-)
Posted by: Tony | April 16, 2008 04:35 PM
I wonder what we might do to recycle it ... making the ISS look like something out of Titan AE. In the words of the aliens who brought us plan 9 ... "stupid, stupid, stupid!".
In case any one hasn't noticed yet, human intellectual evolution seems to have been backsliding for at least the last 40 years or so.
Posted by: Mitch Bird | April 18, 2008 03:23 AM