{"id":15158,"date":"2021-05-11T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-05-11T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/11-05-2021\/china-rocket-debris-falls-in-indian-ocean\/"},"modified":"2024-06-13T16:54:29","modified_gmt":"2024-06-13T11:24:29","slug":"china-rocket-debris-falls-in-indian-ocean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/11-05-2021\/china-rocket-debris-falls-in-indian-ocean","title":{"rendered":"China Rocket Debris Falls In Indian Ocean"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Debris<\/span><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">from the last stage of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>China\u2019s Long March rocke<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">t<\/span><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">fell into the waters of the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Indian Ocean<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> west of the Maldives.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Background<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Long March-5B Y2<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> rocket was carrying the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Tianhe<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, or Heavenly Harmony, module, which is the first of three<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> key components<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> for the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>construction of China\u2019s space station.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">China\u2019s space station would be second after the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><strong><u>International Space Station<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Recently, Russia also announced its own <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u>International Space Station<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Remnants of China&#8217;s largest rocket re-entered the Earth&#8217;s atmosphere and disintegrated over the Indian Ocean.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The debris now lies west of the Maldives archipelago.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Criticisms of China<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) criticised China for \u201c<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>failing to meet responsible standards<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>regarding their space debris<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201d.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Uncertainty <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">over the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>rocket&#8217;s orbital decay<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>China&#8217;s failure to issue stronger reassurances<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in the run-up to the re-entry are causes of concern.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Last year also, another Long March rocket of the same 5B variant had crashed on Ivory Coast created a lot of debris.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Space Debris<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Most Space debris comprises <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>human-generated objects<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, such as pieces of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>spacecraft, tiny flecks of paint <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">from a spacecraft,<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> parts of rockets, satellites <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">that are no longer working, or explosions of objects in orbit flying around in space at high speeds.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Most <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u201cspace junk\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> is moving very fast and can reach speeds of 18,000 miles per hour, almost seven times faster than a bullet.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Ways to clean Space Debris<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">To tackle this problem, several companies around the world have come up with novel solutions:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Removing <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>dead satellites<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> from orbit and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>dragging them back<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> into the atmosphere, where they will burn up. To do this-<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"margin-left: 40px;\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Use a<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> harpoon to grab<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> a satellite;\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>catching it in a huge net<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">using <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>magnets<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to grab it;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">firing <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>lasers to hea<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">t up the satellite;\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">execute a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>collision avoidance mnoeuvre<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">;<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">increasing its<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> atmospheric drag<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> so that it falls out of orbit.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">However, these methods are <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>only useful for large satellites<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> orbiting Earth. There <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>isn&#8217;t a way<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to pick up smaller pieces of debris such as bits of paint and metal.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">There are <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>international guidelines <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">for getting rid of old satellites and rockets from the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">By making sure that <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>satellites are removed from orbit in a reasonable amount of time<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> once they are no longer active, we can mitigate the problem of space junk in the future.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Challenges in Space Debris Removal<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Unfortunately, there is an <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>explosion risk <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">in removing more dangerous objects.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The issue of <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>property rights<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">; one can\u2019t grab a satellite or rocket that belongs to another country without their permission.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is hard to eliminate space debris as there are <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>huge chances of creating more junk <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">while doing it.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Most satellite operators require <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>hours or days to plan<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and execute a <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>collision-avoidance manoeuvre<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Way Forward<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Spacefaring nations must<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> minimize the risks<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to people and property on Earth of re-entries of space objects and<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> maximize transparency<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> regarding those operations.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is critical that all spacefaring nations and commercial entities <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>act responsibly <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>transparently<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in space to ensure the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>safety, stability, security <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>long-term sustainability<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> of outer space activities.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>high-accuracy assessment<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>prediction tools<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> are <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>essential for reducing risk<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> to current systems and future launches.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Space Debris Monitoring and Space Traffic Management<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Space traffic management is a crucial area that requires attention since the sa<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>tellites in orbit can come in the way of each other<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Thus, Space Debris management and monitoring play a<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> crucial role<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> as many countries are becoming players.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: circle;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Space debris monitoring removal has an <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>estimated market revenue <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">of around<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> 2.7 billion dollars<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in the 2020s.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Space junk is no one countries\u2019 responsibility, but the <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>responsibility of every spacefaring country<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The problem of managing space debris is both an <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>international challenge<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>an opportunity to preserve the space environment<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> for future space exploration missions.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; border: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 624px;\" cellspacing=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"background-color: #fff2cc; vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #000000;\">\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Kessler Syndrome<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This is an idea proposed by NASA scientist <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Donald Kessler<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> in 1978.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It states that if there was <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>too much space junk in orbit<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, it could result in a chain reaction where more and more objects collide and create new space junk in the process, to the point where Earth&#8217;s orbit becomes unusable.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is also known as <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>\u201ccollisional cascading\u201d.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This cascade of collisions first came to NASA\u2019s attention in the 1970s when derelict Delta rockets left in orbit began to explode creating shrapnel clouds.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Kessler proposed it would take <\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>30 to 40 years<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> for such a threshold to be reached and today, some experts think we are already at critical mass in low-Earth orbit at about 560 to 620 miles (900 to 1,000 kilometres).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>How can Kessler Syndrome be avoided?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The successful \u2018p<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>assivation\u2019 of all spacecraft<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">, which would limit on-orbit breakups, and the widespread, i.e. more than 90%, adoption of effective disposal strategies at the end of missions would contribute to containing the growth of space debris.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Clean Space by cutting debris production from future space missions.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: disc;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Then an urgent need to reduce the total mass of current debris, such as the robotic salvage of derelict satellites.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Source<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/science\/china-says-remnants-of-long-march-rocket-landed-in-indian-ocean\/article34519067.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 11pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #1155cc;\"><u> TH<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In News Debris from the last stage of China\u2019s Long March rocket fell into the waters of the Indian Ocean west of the Maldives.\u00a0 Background The Long March-5B Y2 rocket was carrying the Tianhe, or Heavenly Harmony, module, which is the first of three key components for the construction of China\u2019s space station. China\u2019s space [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15159,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[26,33,43],"class_list":["post-15158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs","tag-gs-3","tag-science-technology","tag-space"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/07\/5052550current-affairs.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15158","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15158"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15158\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25659,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15158\/revisions\/25659"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15158"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15158"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}