Potential risk from 'cosmic garbage'

The US Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) urges world leaders to find solutions to reduce the amount of 'cosmic garbage' - the consequences of the destruction or collisions between artificial satellites in orbit. Earth.

Cosmic garbage simulation - Photo: AFP

General Kevin Chilton, of the US Air Force Command, said the United States owns about 15,000 fragments floating in space. These fragments are primarily the result of launching missiles into space, fragments flying from spacecraft or from destruction of expired satellites used on Earth orbit.

"Estimating the number of fragments in the universe will increase to 50,000 in the near future. This may cause Earth's orbit to be lowered closer to us ," said Kevin Chilton. , fragments can collide and cause damage to satellites operating in orbit.

Kevin also said that the increase in debris in the universe has increased rapidly in recent years not only because of the US but also because of the destruction of Chinese satellites in 2007 and the destruction of satellites. Russia's military and telecommunications have just been launched in 2009.

In order to minimize 'cosmic garbage', Mr. Kevin suggested that countries cooperate in sharing satellite launchers or use satellites. This partly helps to reduce costs for countries and at the same time reduce the number of missile launches into space, thereby reducing the number of missile fragments in space. In 2008, the United States and China also cooperated in bringing their two satellites into orbit on the same Aegis missile.

However, for the long-term solution to the problem of 'cosmic garbage', he asked world leaders to reach a unified agreement on the use of Earth orbit and to find optimal solutions. to completely destroy the debris that is floating in space.