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Science & Tech.
Mahesh

12/03/23 10:27 AM IST

Scientists call for legally binding global treaty to eliminate space junk

In News
  • Scientists have called for a legally binding treaty to ensure Earth's orbit isn't irreparably harmed by the future expansion of the global space industry.
Space Debris
  • Space debris includes non-functional spacecraft, abandoned launch vehicle stages, mission-related debris, and fragmentation debris.
  • Space debris can also be generated when two satellites collide, releasing thousands of new pieces.
  • Anti-satellite tests also result in debris. In 2019, India tested an anti-satellite missile targeting a satellite in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
  • Space debris could trigger a chain reaction, where too many objects collide with each other and create new space junk in the process (known as Kessler Syndrome
  • The number of satellites in orbit is expected to increase from the current 9,000 to more than 60,000 by 2030, with estimates suggesting there are already more than 100 trillion untracked pieces of old satellites circling the planet.
Process to brought down Satellite
  • Usually, satellites are left in their orbit and because of the gravitational pull of the earth, they come down to the atmosphere over years and years.
  • When the satellites re-enter the atmosphere, the friction causes them to heat up to extremely high temperatures of thousands of degrees Celsius.
  • Without a heat shield, 99% of a satellite gets burnt up whether in a controlled re-entry or an uncontrolled one
  • Project NETRA – to provide information on the status of debris.
  • ISRO System for Safe and Sustainable Space Operations Management (IS4OM) for tracking and monitoring space objects.
Need of Treaty
  • The treaty should ensure that producers and users take responsibility for satellites and debris.
  • It should also enforce collective international legislation, including fines and other incentives to make countries and companies accountable for their actions, the researchers wrote in the letter.
  • The treaty should ensure that countries using the Earth’s orbit should commit to global cooperation, they added.
Source- Business Standard

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