The Space Debris Problem - Dual Impact in Myanmar Shows What is to Come

Mining & Minerals - Evaluations / Off-World Exploration, Mining, & Technology

Date posted: 11/14/16

Dom Galeon reports that NASA estimates there are more than 500,000 pieces of debris currently floating at speeds of up to 28,162 km/h (17,500 mph) around the Earth. Two such pieces of space debris crashed in Myanmar recently that are likely either parts from an aircraft, a missile, a fallen satellite, or Tiangong-1. A mining facility in northern Myanmar became the crash site of a huge piece of space debris last Thursday. As the impact occurred, a smaller piece of debris with Chinese markings on it simultaneously destroyed the roof of a house in a nearby village. Fortunately, no one was injured in either incident. The larger object is barrel-shaped and measures about 4.5 meters (15 ft) long, with a diameter barely over a meter. The metal objects are assumed to be part of a satellite or the engine parts of a plane or missile, a local news report said. The Chinese government is neither confirming nor denying whether both pieces of space junk came from the same object. While there may be not confirmation yet, it is worth noting that just last month the Chinese Tiangong-1 spacecraft re-entered Earth atmosphere. It is possible that these debris may be part of it. This incident points to the ever growing problem of space junk and debris surrounding our planet. NASA estimates there are more than 500,000 pieces of debris currently floating at speeds of up to 28,162 km/h (17,500 mph) around the Earth. Space junk accumulation is a product of space exploration projects. These debris come mostly from old, decommissioned satellites or discarded parts of shuttles. Because they move quickly, they present dangers to the International Space Station and other working satellites, as well as space shuttles or other human transport space vehicles. Efforts are in the works to deal with our space junk problem, such as using lasers or dust clouds. One group from Switzerland even proposed sending a satellite equipped with a special type of net to collect space debris. See video ..