Clusters of Space Debris: Can They Threaten the World?

A Cluster of Space Debris: Could It Threaten the World?

By: Dwi Rohmah Stiya

Student of UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta

Nowadays, the success of human technology has created conveniences in communication. However, it has also given rise to a fairly serious new problem: piles of debris building up in outer space. So how can this happen? Chunks of non-operational satellites, spent rocket units, and other space debris continue to orbit the Earth and threaten the continuity of space activities and human life on Earth. In this essay, we will explore the problem of space debris, its impact, and the efforts to overcome this serious problem.

Space debris is a cluster of human-made objects in outer space that have reached the end of their service life and so mingle with other items in space. These human-made objects can be non-functional satellites, spent rockets, and even tiny particles thrown off during space missions, or fragments that are trapped in orbit and also circle the Earth. Space debris can come from many sources. The more objects there are in orbit, the greater the potential for collisions and the creation of even more debris.

Space debris has a serious impact on satellites that are still operating and can disrupt future space missions. How dangerous it is cannot be judged by the size of the scattered particles. In fact, a collision with a particle as small as a pea can cause severe damage, causing a satellite to fail to enter its intended orbit. Especially for the geostationary orbit (GSO), inactive satellite debris can reduce the number of locations available for new satellites. In addition, defunct satellites with transponders that are still active can interfere with the signals of satellites that are still active. Meanwhile, space debris scattered in low orbit risks entering and penetrating the Earth’s atmosphere. If chunks of debris are not completely burned up in the atmosphere, fragments risk falling to the ground and are dangerous if they land right in residential areas.

The space debris problem also threatens the sustainability of space exploration. The more debris there is in orbit, the harder it is to launch, maintain, or end space missions. This can hinder the progress of human space exploration.

Various programmes have been deployed by international space agencies as efforts to resolve the space debris problem, among them NASA’s Orion project, which has been operating from 1970–present. There is also a project that has been designed, namely destroying space debris with laser weapons, which would aim at and destroy debris targets in orbit into small fragments in a short time. Another method planned to deal with space debris is to equip satellites or rockets with explosive systems, so that satellite units that are no longer operating can be blown up until they are completely destroyed..

Rules and a code of conduct for space are also needed to avoid adding more debris to Earth’s orbit. This includes practices such as ceasing the use of unnecessary rocket stages in orbit or ensuring that satellites that no longer function undergo a controlled re-entry .

Space debris is a serious problem that threatens human space exploration and the environment in Earth’s orbit. Although this challenge is great, various efforts are under way to overcome it through better technology and regulation. In the future, humans will launch more of their creations into space. As a result, the potential debris produced is likely to get worse if a solution is not found soon. Therefore, success in resolving the space debris problem is the key to keeping space sustainable, safe, and useful for humans and future generations.