Jakarta –
The space race is making Earth’s orbit increasingly crowded with satellites and space debris. Scientists call this condition the threat of Kessler Syndrome.
They say Kessler Syndrome is a very real risk. Humanity has been exploring space for more than half a century. This human activity is not without problems. NASA scientists Donald Kessler and Burton Cour-Palais put forward a potentially troublesome scenario.
What is Kessler Syndrome?
In 1978, Kessler and Cour-Palais theorized that if humanity continued to send more and more spacecraft into cosmic space, we would run into problems because spaceships would become denser around Earth. The possibility of a collision will also increase.
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“Used rockets, satellites and other space debris have accumulated in orbit, increasing the possibility of collisions with other debris,” explained NASA as quoted by LADBible.
“Unfortunately, the collision created more debris and gave rise to a chain reaction. This condition is known as Kessler Syndrome, after the person who first raised the problem, Donald Kessler,” wrote NASA.
Scientists fear that Kessler’s syndrome will be proven true, and some experts believe that it is only a matter of time before it occurs.
“The Kessler syndrome will become a reality. If the probability of a collision is so great that we cannot put a satellite in space, then we are in trouble,” said John L Crassidis, a professor of innovation and space debris expert at the University at Buffalo, New York, America. Union.
Currently, more than 10 thousand satellites orbit the Earth. Additionally, more than 100 trillion pieces of old satellites still circle the planet, with some pieces occasionally falling into Earth’s atmosphere over time and burning up.
Kessler showed that once the amount of debris in a particular orbit reaches a ‘critical mass’, collisions will begin even if no more objects are launched into that orbit.
“Once multiple collisions begin, the risk to satellites and spacecraft increases until the orbit becomes unusable,” NASA said.
Kessler estimates that it will take 30 to 40 years to reach this point. Currently, some experts estimate that we are already at critical mass in low Earth orbit, approximately at a distance of 900 to 1,000 kilometers. One example of a real threat can be seen from events in recent years, including a decommissioned Russian satellite crashing into a US satellite in 2009.
In 2021, a Russian missile destroyed one of its own satellites as part of a test. This forced astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) to carry out emergency procedures.
Internet Apocalypse
If satellites and debris enter a chain reaction of collisions, human life could be severely impacted. Kessler syndrome can cause massive internet and WiFi network outages. Without satellites in the sky, cell phones can’t work either. In fact, this interference will also turn off the TV and GPS services.
On a more general level, weather satellites will also go down and impact our critical ability to track their impact on a number of industries.
“Weather satellites play an important role in a variety of industries, including agriculture, fishing, and transportation, by predicting and mitigating the impact of severe weather conditions,” said Amrith Mariappan and John L. Crassidis in their 2023 paper entitled ‘Kessler’s syndrome: a challenge to humanity ‘.
They explained that satellite remote sensing, in turn, makes a significant contribution to resource exploration and monitoring of phenomena such as floods, drought, soil moisture, forest fires, vegetation health, forest degradation, monitoring of road infrastructure, and so on.
There are also remote sensing satellites that the military uses to capture high-resolution images of strategic locations, monitor enemy activity, and assess potential threats. The paper adds that Kessler Syndrome could wreak havoc on healthcare systems, causing medical devices to malfunction.
How to Stop Kessler Syndrome
Mariappan and CrasSidis write that space debris recycling is emerging as a promising and long-term sustainable solution for space debris mitigation.
Another short-term option taken by some is to remove the trash from orbit and let it burn up in Earth’s atmosphere. While it can eliminate immediate threats, it is risky and poses major environmental problems, such as depletion of the ozone layer.
“By repurposing decommissioned satellites and debris into useful materials to support other space missions, this recycling strategy presents a win-win scenario, promoting environmental sustainability and resource efficiency in space exploration,” said Mariappan and Crassidis.
The European Space Agency ESA says it wants to be ‘debris neutral’ by 2030, meaning it aims to not add to space waste by reusing debris by 2050.
(rns/rns)
Kessler Syndrome: The Urban Legend of Space
Gather around, Earthlings! It seems that our attempts to conquer the cosmos are not just driving us to marvel at the stars after all; we may also be on the brink of a cosmic rubbish tip! That’s right, folks; we have given birth to what scientists ominously term Kessler Syndrome. Sounds like a deadly virus, doesn’t it? But nope! It’s just our knack for turning everything—including infinity—into a cluttered mess.
As we continue flinging our shiny satellites and “slightly used” rockets into space, Earth’s orbit has become busier than a New York City subway at rush hour. Who knew space could get the same “too many people, not enough room” vibe? Apparently, after around fifty years of cosmic clutter-making, scientists are getting worried that if we keep this up, we might end up with a galactic game of bumper cars. Welcome to the party, Kessler and Cour-Palais, the dynamic duo who first brought this apocalypse in orbit to our attention back in 1978. Yes, they’ve had enough foresight to warn us before we collectively head-butt an old Soviet satellite!
What is Kessler Syndrome?
So, what exactly is this Kessler Syndrome? Think of it as a chain reaction where if we don’t zip up our space pants, we might smash our way into utter chaos. When too many pieces of junk orbit too close together, we’re looking at an increased chance of collision. NASA, bless their space-loving hearts, have explained that once collisions start to sprout, we could see more debris than a teenager’s bedroom after a sleepover. It’s collision chaos followed by chaos more!
Right now, let’s be real; there are over 10,000 satellites circling our planet like an ungrateful wedding guest who just won’t leave. And that’s not including the over 100 trillion bits of outdated tech that float around like rogue toy soldiers left behind after Christmas. It’s estimated that we might hit “critical mass” sooner than a heavyset person finding out there’s unlimited dessert at a buffet—meaning we could knock ourselves into a collision vodka party if we’re not careful.
Now, if you think I’m being dramatic, just wait until I tell you about a couple of incidents in recent years: a Russian satellite having a chat with a U.S. satellite in 2009 and a lovely little test by Russia in 2021 where they decided to “destroy” one of their own satellites. Spoiler alert: This led astronauts on the ISS to perform emergency procedures faster than you can say “Houston, we have a problem!”
The Internet Apocalypse
So, what happens if we abide by the Kessler Syndrome? Picture this: Internet and Wi-Fi gone poof! Satellite networks would capsize, which means no social media, no GPS, and, oh dear God, a world without YouTube. How will we survive without an endless stream of cat videos?
Without functioning satellites, weather predictions would go haywire! Next thing you know, farmers are planting their crops during a hurricane, thinking it’s just “a little drizzle,” while transport networks lose track of everything, and people start navigating based on “that cloud that looks like a chicken.” Talk about a recipe for disaster!
Even the military, those savvy multi-taskers that they are, would struggle to manage high-resolution imagery of “the enemy” looking suspiciously like a flipped-over satellite. Healthcare, agriculture, fishing—you name it—would all get caught in Kessler’s chaotic web. It’s like the world as we know it could turn into a scene from a sci-fi horror flick starring subpar CGI!
How to Stop Kessler Syndrome
But fear not, dear space cadets! Our clever scientists have a few tricks up their sleeves. Enter space debris recycling—yes, that’s right! The future is now recycling old satellites into useful materials. Who knew our ancient tech could get a second life? Kind of like a thrift store, but for space junk!
Moreover, there are short-term strategies to rid us of our clutter. Quick! Let’s toss some space junk into Earth’s atmosphere to burn it up—sounds like a plan, right? Oh wait, we may deplete the ozone layer instead! But hey, it’s either that or a reality where the only way we can communicate is via telegram.
The European Space Agency is on the hot trail to be “debris neutral” by 2030, which means they’re aiming to recycle the junk we’ve dumped by 2050. They’ll be “the cool kids” of space exploration with their promising recycling program—save the planet while we’re saving space!
In conclusion, the Kessler Syndrome isn’t just a space problem; it’s a planet-wide challenge that could make the apocalypse plot of every sci-fi movie look like plain sailing. So, as we look up to the stars, let’s put our rubbish in the bin, shall we?
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(rns/rns)
