Experts are warning of the ‘imminent danger’ posed by the Kessler Syndrome, a chain reaction of space collisions that could overcrowd Earth’s orbit with dangerous debris.
This warning follows an incident last month when the International Space Station (ISS) had to manoeuvre itself out of harm’s way to avoid an incoming piece of space junk.
Kessler Syndrome, first theorised by NASA scientist Donald J. Kessler in 1978, describes a catastrophic scenario where space debris collides with satellites or other objects in orbit, creating runaway destruction.
Such a chain reaction could knock out vital satellites, leading to widespread disruptions in communication networks, including Wi-Fi and cell phone services.
Dan Baker, the director of the University of Colorado’s Atmospheric and Space Physics lab, warned during a conference this December that “unless we do something, we are in imminent danger of making a whole part of our Earth environment unusable”.
It is estimated that there are over 130 million pieces of ‘space junk’ currently orbiting Earth.
These include bits of broken satellites, the remains of booster rockets and wreckage from weapons tests.
NASA reports that most of this ‘space junk’ is moving very fast and travels at speeds of up to 18,000 mph, nearly seven times faster than a speeding bullet.
Even small objects, like a fleck of paint, can smash through metal and can pose serious threats.
In November, NASA reported that a Russian spacecraft attached to the space station fired its engines for more than five minutes to create a safer margin of distance from a passing hunk of debris.
While NASA said it was unlikely that the debris would have collided with the space station, the debris could have passed within 2 ½ miles (4 kilometers) of its orbital path.
A direct impact might have depressurised parts of the station and left the astronauts struggling to return home.
However, this is not the first time the space traffic experts have raised alarm bells about the increasing congestion.
The ISS has had to make similar manoeuvers since it was first occupied in November 2000.
Collision risks are growing every year as the number of objects in orbit around Earth multiplies.
Dr. Vishnu Reddy, a professor of planetary sciences at the University of Arizona in Tucson observed that “the number of objects in space that we have launched in the last four years has increased exponentially”.
He added: “We are heading towards the situation that we are always dreading.”
The rapid increase in satellite launches by companies like SpaceX, which has deployed over 7,000 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit, has exacerbated the problem.
Holger Krag, head of the European Space Agency’s Space Safety Office, stated last year, “We are seeing a dramatically increased use of space, but still insufficient technology to prevent the risks that follow.”
Dr. Reddy echoed the concerns, pointing to the lack of regulation as a critical issue.
“I think the biggest concern is the lack of regulation,” he said. “I think having some norms and guidelines that [are] put forward by the industry will help a lot.”
