According to the United Nations report, 18 countries have released waste into space. Space debris will be the biggest challenge of this century. It is not serious now, but it will bring many problems to mankind in the long run.
Each person throws an average of half a kilo of waste on the earth every day. In 2021, 240 billion tons of waste was collected. Every year the waste generation is increasing instead of decreasing. It is also estimated that if waste emissions continue to grow at this rate, by 2040, 300 to 400 billion tonnes of waste will be generated annually. Also, 33 percent of the waste is non-recyclable. Scattered somewhere on the earth’s surface.
Marine litter has also increased alarmingly. There are 6000 pieces of plastic floating in the sea water. In proportion to the earth’s population, each person has about 700 to 800 pieces of plastic floating on the surface of the ocean. According to the estimation of scientists, mankind has dumped three lakh tons of garbage in the sea. After polluting the earth and oceans, now it’s space’s turn. Mankind is pouring waste into space. Compared to the earth and the sea, the pile of garbage is still not very big, but that pile will bring many problems for mankind in the future.
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The Outer Space Affairs Agency of the United Nations reported the debris spread in space. 18 countries of the world have dumped 7118 kg of garbage on Mars alone. These objects were sent to Mars in 14 different missions and then landed there. Pieces of metal, special types of shiny clothing, pieces of glass, springs, nutbolts, nets, parachutes, landing modules, and many other objects have been left strewn on Mars. Spacecraft sent to Mars orbit Mars and end up as debris on the Martian surface. Apart from that, if the rover reaches any planet including Mars, it will turn into waste in the long run. It sends data to the space agency in the event of a safe landing and becomes waste when deactivated. Crash landing immediately turns into trash.
Moon also has a similar position. Since humans first set foot on the surface of the moon in 1969, humans have spread 190 tons of trash on the lunar surface. America has dumped the most trash on the surface of the moon. There are 96 bags of garbage scattered on the moon, 51 of which are from America alone. About 50 items are scattered at the place where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed. In it TV Includes camera, pipe, lids, belt, remote control, hammer, pliers etc. Just this year, the possibility of three tons of garbage left in space on Earth has fallen on the surface of the moon. It was feared that the garbage would collide with the moon at a speed of 9300 kilometers per hour.
If the report is to be believed, Russia is leading the way in terms of dispersal of space debris. During 70-75 years of space missions, Russia has thrown 7032 pieces of garbage into space. These include everything from satellites to rocket bodies. The second-ranked US has released 5,216 pieces of debris into space. China ranked third in the list of space debris emitting countries with 3854 pieces of debris. After that 520 pieces have been distributed by France. Japan ranks fifth with 117 pieces of space debris. India has also added 114 pieces to the space vest due to various missions. Decommissioned satellites, rocket boosters, various space objects, equipment used for testing, astronaut excrement and feces etc. are floating in space.
If this debris continues to grow, it may collide with active satellites in the long run. If something like that happens, a country’s satellites may suddenly shut down. Now satellite internet satellites are also moving in low orbit 550-600 km from earth. This debris can disrupt the satellite internet if it comes down and collides with these satellites due to the movement of space. This mass of space debris becomes huge and could cause great trouble for future spacecraft if it obstructs or collides with it. The role of satellites is very big behind the services that we get easily now. From GPS to television broadcasting or OTT platforms are based on these satellites. If space debris continues to be dumped indefinitely, it may affect all these services or one or two services in the future.
It is not that mankind is completely indifferent to this waste. A lot of research is going on. Many projects have been undertaken to destroy the mass of debris orbiting in space. But none seem particularly effective. If the waste is destroyed in space itself, it can also create other problems including air pollution.
British scientists reported that space debris is damaging the ozone layer above the earth. Earth’s pollution has already caused a gap in the ozone layer. Now, if the gap widens due to space pollution, it will become a war of existence for mankind. Space debris will be one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century as space missions continue to grow, scientists have warned.
– Harit Munshi