Project Proposal

Zainudin Smith

261 Matilda Ave Apt 140

Franklin Township, New Jersey 08873

March 3, 2021

James Reuter

Space Technology Associate Administrator

NASA Headquarters

300 E Street SW

Washington DC 20024-3210

Re: Controlling Space Debris

Dear Mr. Smith

The existence of space debris continues to be a rising concern to society. This is based on the fact that human activity continues to increase the rates of space junks within space. Understanding the harm that is initiated in the process plays a key role in combatting the rise of such cases. Apparently, space debris continuous to be a global concern that needs to be addressed based on the impact that it would have. The future exploration activities need to be put in place to ensure that the activity is actively controlled (Muñoz-Patchen, 2018). Despite the measures put in place, people need to be aware of the rise in such cases and they need to come up with actions that are focused in combating such cases. It is the ethical duty of the society to ensure that such matters are effectively controlled. The matter is focused on the creation of long-term alternates.

Understanding the reason as to why space debris needs to be controlled makes up the dominant factor that needs to be carefully addressed. People need to understand the global implication of the activity and how it might affect the future generation. The increase of objects within space for satellite functions continues to be important as they play an important role in terms of intelligence and weather forecasts. However, the increase is space junk can be clearly described as space pollution that is contributed by human activity. The people are supposed to be aware of the implications that come from the process in order to develop a lasting solution to the matter that would work for the interest of the society alone. Ideally, effective control has a clear part to play in this perspective.

Causes of Space Debris

Space debris is caused by increased human activities within space. The activity leads to the increase of space junks. The need for developed country to improve their space technology and intelligence leads to the increase in satellites and other exploration objects within the atmosphere. Ideally, developed countries are the ones that can afford to create satellites and place them on space. The action has led to a list of over 3000 satellites within the space (Muñoz-Patchen, 2018). Although it is a positive action towards advancement in technology, it is the leading cause behind the increase of space debris within atmosphere. Sufficient action needs to be taken by the space bodies all over the world to ensure that the exploitation activities are controlled based on the rise of space junks within the atmosphere.

The manner in which the space debris are created is based on human action and not natural cause. This is a key factor that needs to be addressed based on the implication that is has to the natural set up of space. Human action needs to be monitored by the United Nations bodies and other practices that needs to be efficient controlled. The human action determines the direction that the scientists are taking terms of controlling the event. It is the duty of the society to ensure that sufficient control is put in place to ensure that the manner in which humans carry out their exploration activities is controlled. In most cases, countries normally destroy old satellites through the use of explosions. This is the common reason behind the increase of space debris within space. China acted as a perfect example when it destroyed its old satellite through the use of the practice.

Ignorance seems to be other action that contributes to the increase od space debris cases. It is evident that most people lack knowledge about the activity. The action is based on the limited awareness efforts that seems to have a negative implication within the atmosphere. This is an action that needs to be effectively controlled based on the negative implications that it is likely to have in the atmosphere if not controlled (Lan, Li, & Baoyin, 2015). The people lack enough awareness which is an activity that makes people not to understand the reason as to why space debris continues to present a threat to the atmosphere if suffice action is not taken under consideration. Ensuring that proper initiatives are put in place is enough to call for constructive actions to be initiated to control the occurrences of such events.

The increase of space debris continuous to be a key issue based on the space exploration effort that man has undertaken over the past decades. The issue created headlines when the Chinese used an antisatellite missile to eliminate one of its old weather satellites that was orbiting at a distance of 537 miles above the surface of the earth (Muñoz-Patchen, 2018). The action elaborated the intensity of the matter. Space debris is a key issue of concern as the United Nation identified as a problem forcing the implementation of mitigation measures that focuses on ensuring that the matter is handled. The measure seemed to work until recently as the numbers continues to increase on a regular basis again. Currently, more than 150 million pieces are floating space. The number presents a concern based on the ignorance that exists in relation to the matter at hand.

Understanding the components of space debris offers a broader overview on the issue that is being addressed in relation to the paper. They are normally made up by discarded object mix that is made up of spent rocket stages, fragments from explosion of the space equipment, dust and paint flakes. A key concern of the debris is the explosion that causes most of them. It is a basic concern that leads to the increase. Ideally, the increase in the number of space explorations is the factor that leads to the increase in space debris today. The action that the cuisine took led to the creation of 35,000 pieces that were large that a centimeter (Robert, 2017). The cases of increasing debris is a key matter that needs to be addressed as it affects the space in a negative way and taking action in preventing it is an ethical duty.

Impacts of Space Debris

Assessing the impact of space debris to space is a key activity that needs to be given considerations. Most people have the assumption that space debris cannot impact human life but it is important to understand that the activity can have a negative implication to the atmosphere of appropriate action is not taken under consideration. In this case, the activity entails looking at the potential damage that the junks can have on the space rockets that are applied in human exploration activities. The junk acts as a hazard to spacecraft and they need to be contained before they affect the setup of the space exploration activities negatively. The action places most people on the spacecraft’s at risks based on the carelessness in terms of disposals that are being initiated. This is an action that needs to be perfectly contained.

Space junks have effects on other important exploration objects negatively. This is a key activity that needs to be actively monitored to ensure that a proper action needs to be put in place. The process is focused on the creation of positive results that needs to be efficient. It impacts the other objects at a speed of 22,300 mph which is a significant factor that needs to be controlled (Cookson, 2019). In case of any collisions the damage is likely to be high. This is a key factor that needs to be properly assessed. The practice is focused on introduction of positive practices that is focused on the interpretation of the potential impact that the practice is likely to have on the exploration activities which is a key matter of concern.

Space debris is a concern as the number keeps on increasing on a regular basis. The need for further exploration makes up the common factor that leads to the increase of the cases. Taking an appropriate action to understand the numbers involved is a key matter of concern in this case. Based on the figures provided by various space bodies across the world including NASA it is evident that there are about 2,000 satellites that orbit around the earth at the moment (Lan, Li, & Baoyin, 2015). Understanding the numbers play a key part in explaining the prevalence of the matter. currently, the number of dead satellites according to NASA is at around 3000. This is a high number based on the fact that they create a key problem to the exploration measures that are being underlain.

Ensuring that positive measures are put in practice in relation to the issue provides a positive approach in ensuring that the matter is addressed. The figures point out that there around 34,000 pieces of space debris that are larger than 10 centimeters (Robert, 2017). The numbers could be in millions for the ones that are less than a centimeters. Ideally, it is a key concern for the future exploration efforts as they are disastrous if they hit something. The ethical issue that arise in this case is taking the appropriate measure in ensuring that the matter is addressed before it affects future exploration efforts that may take place. The space bodies need to ensure that such matters are addressed before they create risks that could affect future explorations and make the exploration efforts to be more risky than expected.

Plan of action

In order to get clean up the overwhelming amount of space debris, there should be a division within your space program that focusses on debris removal. CubeSats would launched into the earth’s orbit quarterly with the purpose of monitoring debris build up and detecting any potential damage that can be caused to any functional satellites. CubeSats are miniature satellites that have been used exclusively in low Earth orbit for 15 years…In the beginning, they were commonly used in low Earth orbit for applications such as remote sensing or communications. As of mid-2018, a pair of CubeSats has been deployed on a mission flying to Mars, and other CubeSats are being considered for the moon and Jupiter (Howell 2018). With the information obtained from the CubeSats, mission control can determine the areas that need the most attention. Removing the unwanted space objects without destroying them is the best action to initiated in this case. It is results oriented and focused on the provision of a permanent solution. A Chaser Satellite with a net gun attachment feature, has the ability to capture debris, and drag it back to earth for proper disposal. The net will keep the debris from dispersing as it re-enters the earth’s atmosphere, while capturing the CubeSats, that was launched up for information gathering because the small devices are not durable and will become debris itself if it is left up there. Once the debris is gathered and makes its way back to the earth, the harsh elements will cause for the majority of the debris to disintegrate as it re-enters earth’s atmosphere. The reentry velocity can reach more than 7 km/s, and strong aero- dynamic and aerothermal loads can melt and break the structures into many pieces of debris (WU, Ziniua., HU, Ruifeng., QU, Xi., WANG, Xiang., & WU, Zhe, 2011). This action is based on the application of positive practices that is focused on the application of activities that are results oriented. Controlling the destruction of the old satellites needs to be the action that needs to be sufficiently controlled (Johnson, 2017).

Costs

An assessment of the damage that the practice has had on space is a key matter of concern. it is evident that there are large costs involved in the creation of the space bodies. This is a key issue of concern that needs to be addressed for the implementation of practices that would focus on the protection of space and the future activities that are likely to take place in the future. The creation of substantive measures to ensure that the cost of damage is minimized is a problem that needs to be addressed by following the procedures that are involved in the practice (Cookson, 2019). Experts explain that space debris is an expensive activity that needs to be minimized. The costs are estimated to be 10% of the mission cots. The figures reflects to millions of dollars. The low earth orbits are the ones that seem to have a larger costs associated.

Probability of the damage-taking place

The risks of damage present themselves in the practice. It is a key issue of concern that calls for the creation of creative approaches that is focused on assessing the matter. The probability is quite low based on the figures provided by experts. One in 100 billion is the odds that are described by experts. The aspect is focused of span of a 75-year lifetime. However, the odds continue to increase with the increase of space junks cases (Lan, Li, & Baoyin, 2015). The aspect is likely to reduce to one in a billion. Despite of the probability, reducing the rate of space debris is an important action that needs to be taken seriously. This is based on the risk of injury that might prove to be disastrous if it occurs.

The reductions of the damages need to be placed under consideration. It is ethical to ensure that space activities continue. However, considering the efforts of the future generations is an activity that needs to be given the top priority. This is because the functioning is focused on the creation of a future that would facilitate other explorations. It is evident that space junk is a real problem that needs to be addressed (Cookson, 2019). Taking action against such activities needs to be a moral duty of all to fulfill. The assessment of the cost and damage clearly explains how the issue of of concern and how it is supposed to be addressed before it continues presenting a real threat to the overall societal setting. It is the moral duty of the society to ensure that the activity is controlled.

References

Cookson, C. (2019). European space agency to launch space debris clean-up in 2025. FT.Com,

Howell, E. (2018, June 19). Cubesats: Tiny Payloads, huge benefits for space research. Retrieved from https://www.space.com/34324-cubesats.html

Johnson, N. L. (2017). Developments in space debris mitigation policy and practices. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 221(6), 907–909.

Lan, L., Li, J., & Baoyin, H. (2015). Debris engine: A potential thruster for space debris removal. Ithaca: Cornell University Library, arXiv.org.

Muñoz-Patchen, C. (2018). Regulating the space commons: Treating space debris as abandoned property in violation of the outer space treaty. Chicago Journal of International Law, 19(1), 233-259.

Robert, L. H. (2017) A band of junk clutters space --- debris imperils hubble space telescope and equipment used for phones, security, weather. Wall Street Journal

WU, Ziniua., HU, Ruifeng., QU, Xi., WANG, Xiang., & WU, Zhe. (2011). Space Debris Reentry Analysis Methods and Tools. Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, 24(4), 387–395. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1000-9361(11)60046-0