The growing issue of space debris is causing serious concerns, as researchers from orbital mapping company LeoLabs warn of the potential dangers of the massive amount of space junk surrounding Earth. In an interview with Forbes, Darren McKnight, a senior technical fellow at LeoLabs, described the situation as a “ticking time bomb” that could lead to catastrophic events if left unaddressed.
Currently, almost 30,000 objects larger than a softball are orbiting the Earth at incredibly high speeds. These objects pose a significant threat to satellites, space missions, and even astronauts. LeoLabs and other experts are racing to find solutions to prevent inevitable collisions, but they fear time may be running out.
Dan Ceperley, Chief Operating Officer at LeoLabs, highlighted the risk posed by space debris of all sizes saying the impending disaster is “not a question of if but when.” While the company can track objects as small as four inches in diameter, anything smaller is difficult to monitor. This presents a significant danger, as even debris just a few millimeters in size can cause fatal damage to spacecraft and astronauts.
Thankfully, no human lives have been lost due to space debris so far but things could have been tragic. In 2021, the Canadarm2, a robotic arm attached to the International Space Station (ISS), was punctured by a small piece of space junk.
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Low-Earth orbit is especially problematic. McKnight pointed out that upper rocket stages from both the United States and the former Soviet Union were abandoned in space decades ago.
These large remnants now clutter the highest areas of Earth’s orbit. There was a close call in June 2022, after two upper stage – one Soviet and one American – came within 500 feet of colliding.
Efforts to address this issue face a major diplomatic challenge. Ian Christensen, a senior director at the Secure World Foundation, reportedly said that convincing major spacefaring nations like the U.S., Russia, and China to take responsibility for their debris is essential. Together, these three countries account for 90 percent of the debris risk in orbit.
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