Millions of Space Debris Moving at High Speeds - The Danger of Space Junk and How to Track It?

Millions of Space Debris Moving at High Speeds - The Danger of Space Junk and How to Track It?

Millions of space debris pieces, hurtling through space at immense speeds within low Earth orbit, pose a significant threat to space activities. This has prompted emerging companies in the United Kingdom to develop sensing devices to track these debris.

These innovative sensing systems are lightweight and capable of identifying small space debris pieces, some as small as a millimeter, even when they are moving at thousands of meters per second through sound signals.

According to the CEO of "Odin Space," Dan Terrett, the company's program involves mapping 99% of the extremely small debris, which can be a significant hazard to satellite technology due to its rapid movement if not placed in the correct orbit.

Space debris is generated when spacecraft or parts of them explode, or when countries conduct missile tests to destroy their own satellites, creating clouds of material, some of which can move faster than bullets.

Terrett emphasizes in his interview that these pieces are dangerous and become more hazardous over time, stating, "It's an escalating problem because debris begets more debris."

Thousands of commercial satellites are launched into Earth's orbit at a rapid pace, increasing the risk of collisions that can lead to the creation of dangerous debris fields.

Explaining how the sensing devices work, James New, Co-founder of "Odysseus Space," mentions that panels are deployed to the outer surface of satellites or other spacecraft, which the debris then strikes and penetrates. He adds, "This allows us to analyze data regarding the size of the debris piece, its speed, and the direction it's moving in through sound signal analysis."

These panels are designed to be placed on spacecraft or other satellites, creating a network of sensors that provide a real-time picture of the orbital environment.