A space junk disaster was narrowly avoided this week when two large objects passed close to one another. Satellites and spacecraft are already running… Source: https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/340193/two-large-pieces-of-space-junk-avoid-collision…
Tag: space junk
2 big pieces of space junk could collide tonight
Two big pieces of space junk are zooming toward a close approach that will occur Thursday (Oct. 15) at 8:56 p.m. EDT (0056 GMT on Oct. 16), according to California-based tracking company LeoLabs. Source: https://www.livescience.com/possible-space-junk-collision-leolabs-oct-15-2020.html
Earth’s space junk problem is getting worse. And there’s an explosive component.
We really need to stop leaving trash everywhere we go. Source: https://www.livescience.com/space-debris-problem-getting-worse.html
Asteroid or space junk? Approaching object might become Earth’s mini-moon
A newly discovered “asteroid” may become a new mini-moon for Earth. Instead of an ordinary asteroid, it might be a lost rocket from the Surveyor 2 mission, launched from Earth more than 50 years ago. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/2020-so-mini-moon-asteroid-or-space-junk…
ISS Successfully Dodges ‘Unknown Piece of Space Debris’
With space junk piling up around our planet, the International Space Station needed to perform a last-minute avoidance maneuver Tuesday to steer clear of an “unknown piece of space debris expected to pass within several kilometers.” From a report: Mission Control in Houston conducted the move at 2:19 p.m. PT using the Russian Progress resupply spacecraft docked to the ISS to…
Astronauts shelter as ISS boosted to avoid orbital debris
The International Space Station underwent an unscheduled reboost in orbit yesterday, to avoid a collision with an unknown piece of space junk. The 3-man crew was ordered to shelter, but is safe. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/astronauts-shelter-as-iss-boosted-to-avoid-orbital-debris…
Upcoming space mission to test drag sail pulling rocket back to Earth
A rocket is going up into space with a drag sail. The goal? For the drag sail to bring the rocket back to Earth, preventing it from becoming like the thousands of pieces of space junk in Earth’s lower orbit. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-08-upcoming-space-mission-rocket-earth.html…
For Space Junk Cleanup, DragRacer Satellite Will Test ‘Terminator Tape’ This Fall
schwit1 quotes Space.com: An experimental mission to test tether-based orbital debris cleanup methods with “Terminator Tape” is slated to launch this fall to test the deorbit performance of two satellites. The Millennium Space Systems mission, called DragRacer, involves two small satellites that are set to launch simultaneously to low Earth orbit (LEO) to measure how fast satellites fall out of space….
Scientists find way to track space junk in daylight
Scientists said Tuesday they had discovered a way to detect space debris even in daylight hours, potentially helping satellites to avoid the ever-growing cloud of junk orbiting the planet. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-08-scientists-track-space-junk-daylight.html…
Spacewalking astronaut loses mirror, newest space junk
A spacewalking astronaut added to the millions of pieces of junk orbiting the Earth on Friday, losing a small mirror as soon as he stepped out of the International Space Station for battery work. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-06-spacewalking-astronaut-mirror-space-junk.html…