Space pollution

[2Fruit]

I read a book where it said people once believed the oceans were so massive that they couldn't possibly be polluted. The same thing has been said about Beijing, the Arctic, and our atmosphere.

Now, as humanity seems to be gearing itself up for a revival of the space age, what's to say we won't pollute space?

Because the thing is, just because our solar system is massive, does not mean we can't have a profound effect on it IMO, because we unlike oceans, we don't have to dump tons and tons of chemicals, as problems can be created through small amounts of debris affecting a massive area around it. The main threats I see are the tiny bits of space debris (bits of chipped paint, severed wires, small rocks, ect )hurtling through space and ripping holes in fragile parts of ships (Mainly solar panels), and larger objects interfering with radio guidance and navigation.

On the other hand, space is indeed vast, and advances in materials and practices could bring new variables into the fold.

Do you think this is is an issue we will have to deal with? If so, what methods do you imagine being used to "clean up" space?

 

[Esper]

Well, space is big, but gravity will keep most of our space trash in orbit around Earth where it will be a danger to anything we try to send into space and to our satellites. Space really needs to have environmental protections just like any environment on Earth.

I've read about different proposals to clean up space, like big nets or magnets, but none of them seem very feasible for a while.

 

[Somewhere_]

Well, space is big, but gravity will keep most of our space trash in orbit around Earth where it will be a danger to anything we try to send into space and to our satellites. Space really needs to have environmental protections just like any environment on Earth.

I've read about different proposals to clean up space, like big nets or magnets, but none of them seem very feasible for a while.

I dont think anything is really feasible because of the price of sending things into space. The net appears to be the best, but what if shards break it? Plus, one would have to aim perfectly to catch as much junk as possible. And what if some junk is too big or heavy, that is pulls the ship with it? Or even if the ship releases the net, its a waste of millions of dollars...

 

[Esper]

I dont think anything is really feasible because of the price of sending things into space. The net appears to be the best, but what if shards break it? Plus, one would have to aim perfectly to catch as much junk as possible. And what if some junk is too big or heavy, that is pulls the ship with it? Or even if the ship releases the net, its a waste of millions of dollars...

Whatever we try is going to be expensive, but the question is whether it's worth the cost. Eventually stuff in space will have their orbits degrade and they'll burn up in the atmosphere, but that will take hundreds of years. I don't think we want to wait that long.

 

[Somewhere_]

Whatever we try is going to be expensive, but the question is whether it's worth the cost. Eventually stuff in space will have their orbits degrade and they'll burn up in the atmosphere, but that will take hundreds of years. I don't think we want to wait that long.

I guess it depends on how often we go to space and stuff. As long as they time launches correctly, junk shouldn't be an issue unless there is an absurd amount of it. Is space overly polluted at the moment?

 

[Esper]

Is space overly polluted at the moment?

I guess that depends on a lot of things. Each piece of junk big enough gets tracked and there are like over 10,000 (I don't have the exact figures but it's a large number). Each of them would be dangerous if it hit a satellite or space craft. And then there are all the tinier bits that we can't track which could still pose a danger. Oh, and all the tiny rocks in space that we can't track either. Yeah, we should probably start off with getting better at finding all these tiny things.

 

[Somewhere_]

I guess that depends on a lot of things. Each piece of junk big enough gets tracked and there are like over 10,000 (I don't have the exact figures but it's a large number). Each of them would be dangerous if it hit a satellite or space craft. And then there are all the tinier bits that we can't track which could still pose a danger. Oh, and all the tiny rocks in space that we can't track either. Yeah, we should probably start off with getting better at finding all these tiny things.

...its the little things that make a big difference.

I guess its really only worth then it if the mission or whatever is necessary or going to really discover new things.