Go Back   Two Wheel Fix > General > News Desk

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-02-2011, 09:36 AM   #1
askmrjesus
Soul Man
 
askmrjesus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Everywhere, all the time.
Moto: '0000 Custom Turbo Cross (with jet kit).
Posts: 6,481
Default Clean up on aisle three please...

Space junk at tipping point, says report

Scientists in the US have warned Nasa that the amount of so-called space junk orbiting Earth is at tipping point.

A report by the National Research Council says the debris could cause fatal leaks in spaceships or destroy valuable satellites.

It calls for international regulations to limit the junk and more research into the possible use of launching large magnetic nets or giant umbrellas.

The debris includes clouds of minuscule fragments, old boosters and satellites.

Some computer models show the amount of orbital rubbish "has reached a tipping point, with enough currently in orbit to continually collide and create even more debris, raising the risk of spacecraft failures," the research council said in a statement on Thursday.
Situation 'critical'

There are lots of ideas out there to clean up space. Many of them, I have to say, look far-fetched and utterly impractical”

In 2007, China conducted an anti-satellite weapon test which destroyed a decommissioned weather satellite, smashing the object into 150,000 pieces larger than 1cm.

Two years later, two satellites - one defunct and one active - crashed in orbit, creating even more debris.

"Those two single events doubled the amount of fragments in Earth orbit and completely wiped out what we had done in the last 25 years," said Donald Kessler, who led the research.

There are 22,000 pieces of debris large enough to track from the ground, but smaller objects could still cause serious damage.

The International Space Station must occasionally dodge some of the junk, which flies around the Earth at speeds of up to 17,500 mph (28,164 km/h).

Dr Robert Massey, Royal Astronomical Society: "It is a serious issue"

In June, some debris narrowly missed the space station, forcing its six crew to go to their escape capsules and prepare for an emergency evacuation back to Earth.

The situation is critical, said Mr Kessler, a retired Nasa scientist, because colliding debris creates even more of the junk.

"We've lost control of the environment," he said.

The report makes no recommendations about how to clean up the field of debris.

But it refers to an earlier study for the Pentagon's science think-tank, the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa).

The Darpa report, dubbed "Catcher's Mitt", suggested a range of technologies, including harpoons, nets and an umbrella-shaped device that would sweep up the debris.

The aim would be to push the debris further towards the earth where it would burn up, or into a higher but safer orbit.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14757926

Who wants to help me build a giant, magnetic space umbrella? C'mon, how hard could it be?

JC
__________________
The way things are going, they're gonna crucify me.
askmrjesus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2011, 10:20 AM   #2
Dave
Chaotic Neutral
 
Dave's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Cherry Hill NJ
Moto: GV1200 Madura, Hawk gt
Posts: 13,992
Default

Just turn the damned deflector shields on already you cheap bitch
Dave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2011, 11:25 AM   #3
Cutty72
Ride Naked.
 
Cutty72's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Flat and Straight ND
Moto: 08 BUELL 1125R, 05 SV650S
Posts: 7,916
Default

Thought we weren't launching any more space shuttles anyway, so what's the point?
__________________
Adrenaline... the wonder drug.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gas Man View Post
Again... Cutty you are one smart man!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Chi View Post
If I have to get help to get it back up, I dont need to be riding it.

3662 Supply NCO

Cutty72 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2011, 11:37 AM   #4
askmrjesus
Soul Man
 
askmrjesus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Everywhere, all the time.
Moto: '0000 Custom Turbo Cross (with jet kit).
Posts: 6,481
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cutty72 View Post
Thought we weren't launching any more space shuttles anyway, so what's the point?
If a big piece of junk takes out the satellite that beams you the MotoGP races, you'll get the point.

JC
__________________
The way things are going, they're gonna crucify me.
askmrjesus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2011, 12:12 PM   #5
OneSickPsycho
Ride Like an Asshole
 
OneSickPsycho's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Moto: nothing...
Posts: 11,254
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by askmrjesus View Post
If a big piece of junk takes out the satellite that beams you the MotoGP races, you'll get the point.

JC
Heads will roll.
OneSickPsycho is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-2011, 12:18 PM   #6
KSGregman
Get Fit...or Get OUT
 
KSGregman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: KS
Moto: 07 M109-R
Posts: 1,993
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by OneSickPsycho View Post
Heads will roll.
Hell yeah...I'm paying for that shit!
KSGregman is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:33 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.