Space Junk fuels climate change

space junk fuels climate change

Recently, a group of British scientists made an unexpected discovery that links two aspects affecting our Planet: global warming and space debris.

Thanks to technological progress that has contributed to a major advance in scientific discoveries, man is able to state that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, normally present at the level of 3 molecules of CO2 per 10,000 molecules of oxygen and nitrogen, has today increased by 50 per cent (and this since the Industrial Revolution that began more than 250 years ago) to a level of more than 4 molecules of CO2 per 10,000 molecules of air.

The fact may seem irrelevant, however, the gas generated is more opaque to infrared radiation and creates atmospheric warming known as the Greenhouse Effect.

The British researchers came to this important discovery starting from a known element. In the upper part of the Earth’s atmosphere, the effect of CO2 is exactly the opposite of what happens in the lower atmosphere (the one in which man is able to live); put differently, the heat intercepted by the Sun is vented back into space and, as a result, the upper atmosphere cools down because it has become thinner and has difficulty reabsorbing the heat. The inevitable atmospheric cooling creates a thinner atmosphere. The ideal solution to eliminate space junk remains the “natural” one, i.e. the normal gravitational approach of orbiting fragments towards the Earth’s atmosphere. Once they reach the atmosphere, the fragments begin to burn through friction and disintegrate. This process of “autonomous re-entry” space debris into the atmosphere, thanks to friction with the gases contained in the atmosphere, contributes to a slow but steady cleansing action of the axial space. The British researchers’ discovery is precisely this: the outward expansion of the atmosphere reduces its density, causing the slow down re-entry space debris.

If all the signatory countries of the Paris Agreement (2015) had been able to follow the “temperature curve” in order to contain CO2 emissions and meet the maximum temperature rise threshold of 1.5°C , the density of the atmosphere would have decreased today by about 28% and, consequently, the “re-entry time” of space debris would have increased proportionally. Although the directives of the Paris Agreement have been far-sighted, the roadmap for curbing fossil emissions has not been diligently adhered by all member states.

Remedies to reduce and slow down space pollution

The containment of global temperature rise is the goal to be achieved in order to solve the problems related to the negative effects of climate change.

Reducing fossil emissions seems to be the “root” of the solution but, in reality, there are many reasons why the climate situation is worsening and, consequently, viable solutions are needed to avoid natural disasters.

International organisations, governmental institutions, private companies and universities are studying and designing procedures and methods that should be able to reduce the traces of space junk.

Among the various remedies, two deserve to be mentioned and briefly described:

  • the Magnetic Manipulation of Space Debris and
  • the so-called “Space Sweepers”.

Magnetic Manipulation of Space Debris

Magnetic Manipulation proposed by the University of Utah (USA) proves to be an effective solution to the problem at hand. It consists of deflecting and pushing away space debris either without coming into contact with them or in order to slow down the speed and rotation of damaged satellites by repairing them in a controlled condition.

This method involves the use of rotating magnets that exploit the currents induced by the magnetic fields generated by the metal pieces composing satellites and/or space debris. Magnetic Manipulation can thus be carried out without touching the object to be repaired or the space debris to be removed, moving them away from Earth. Scientists have shown that this process turns the debris into a real electromagnet whose motion can be controlled remotely. When metal debris are subjected to a magnetic field, electrons circulate inside in circular loops generating eddy currents that interact with the objects’ magnetic field themselves.

This mode of operation avoids dangerous collisions between the manipulator and the object to be repaired, deflected or moved away.

Explore  NASA’s interactive Space-Junk map showing the current situation.

We only have one home. We would do well to look after it.

More awareness about the health of our planet is necessary to preserve our future generations