That space debris posed a problem has been clear to the space community for a while now, but there may also be another aspecct to that problem. According to some studies, spaceflight also poses an environmental hazard to the upper atmosphere.
When space junk drops back into the atmosphere, it burns up, unless a piece is big enough to reach the surface-- but that's not the end of the matter. Depending on the composition of the object, the burning can release chemicals that have a negative effect on the ozone layer, which protects Earth's surface from harmful radiation. Large particles of debris also hang in the upper atmosphere. Such pollution is not a serious problem yet, scientists say, but it could become serious unless addressed.
Chemical, staged rockets will not support a robust, spacefaring civilization. To build an economy that reaches into space, to other worlds, new, more powerful means of reaching Earth orbit will need to be developed. That's the economic factor pushing development forward. Now, there may be an environmental factor pushing in the same direction.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment