Gravity: The Documentary - India's destruction of Satellites poses danger to ISS Astronauts

[rcmaehl]

Source:
The Guardian

 

Summary:
An Indian missile test created over 400 pieces of orbital debris, Over 24 of which headed in the direction of the International Space Station

 

Media:

 

Quotes/Excerpts:

Quote

India’s destruction of one of its satellites created 400 pieces of orbital debris and posed a threat to astronauts onboard the International Space Station (ISS). The satellite shattered into pieces, many of which are dangerously large but too small to track. “That is a terrible, terrible thing to create an event that sends debris at an apogee that goes above the International Space Station,” he said, adding: “That kind of activity is not compatible with the future of human spaceflight.” “It’s unacceptable and Nasa needs to be very clear about what its impact to us is.” The US military tracks objects in space to predict the collision risk for the ISS and for satellites. It is tracking 23,000 objects larger than 10cm. That includes about 10,000 pieces of space debris, of which nearly 3,000 were created by a single event: a Chinese anti-satellite test in 2007, 530 miles above the surface. As a result of the Indian test, the risk of collision with the ISS has increased by 44%. The risk will dissipate over time as much of the debris will burn up as it enters the atmosphere. The missile test was celebrated in India but also drew criticism because it was announced by the prime minister, Narendra Modi, while the government is supposed to be in caretaker mode before elections starting this month.

 

My Thoughts:
I had assumed most countries were on the same page about not creating additional space debris as it negatively affects EVERYONE. While it may be unlikely that the ISS is going to be hit, it still must be pretty scary for an event like this to happen, in which you're flying in a metal tube at 7.8 km/s at a bunch of debris without much option for escape. Regardless, I'm sure several countries would be quick to mount a rescue effort considering the International nature of the Station.

[Tech_Dreamer]

[79wjd]

 

26 minutes ago, rcmaehl said:

7.8m/s

Km/s

 

[mariushm]

You guys can play with Stuff in Space website, which shows all the debris and satellites (working or not working) around the planet : http://stuffin.space/

 

We're already pretty boned

 

 

[rcmaehl]

1 minute ago, 79wjd said:

 

Km/s

 

Fixed

[sazrocks]

2 minutes ago, mariushm said:

We're already pretty boned

Not really. Space is big.

[mariushm]

After reading Seveneves by Neal Stephensons I'm pretty much of the opinion that we (humans) should launch some satellites with the only purpose of collecting our trash as soon as possible, before it's not too late.

Way too many dead satellites and rocket remains and crap

 

[imreloadin]

3 minutes ago, sazrocks said:

Not really. Space is big.

Space is, the amount of space that comprises LEO (low earth orbit)...not so much...especially when the objects in that zone are traveling at speeds of ~17,500 miles per hour.

[xAcid9]

ISS.. I misread ISIS when i was scrolling facebook half hour ago and thought why the f Nasa care about ISIS. 

[TVwazhere]

10 minutes ago, mariushm said:

You guys can play with Stuff in Space website, which shows all the debris and satellites (working or not working) around the planet : http://stuffin.space/

I "like" (just find fascinating) how we already have our own ring of debris around earth

 

Just looking at it though, anything not directly around the gray sphere (earth) is REALLY far away

[Delicieuxz]

The The Guardian article mentions that China did a similar test in 2007, but, predictably, omits mentioning that the US did the same test in 2008.

 

Pentagon warns India against 'messy' tests in space, despite doing similar one in 2008

 

While space debris is a bad thing, part of the intention behind criticism from the US' Pentagon chief and head of NASA is likely to intimidate other countries away from pursuing and acquiring the same military capabilities that the US already possesses, to try to maintain the US' advantage.

[YaBoiWill]

We felt jealous of Saturns rings so we decided to make out own. Simple explanation here, nothing to be concerned about.

I actually saw the ISS flying over when I was leaving work yesterday. Colleagues though I was a nerd for being interested 

[Sauron]

49 minutes ago, rcmaehl said:

I had assumed most countries were on the same page about not creating additional space debris as it negatively affects EVERYONE.

Yes, well, it turns out some politicians don't care what damage they do to the future of mankind if it helps them stay in power. See global warming and the lack of concern for problems that directly threaten the entire human race.

[Beowulff83]

Space the final Frontier. . .

[thorhammerz]

33 minutes ago, Delicieuxz said:

While space debris is a bad thing, part of the intention behind criticism from the US' Pentagon chief and head of NASA is likely to intimidate other countries away from pursuing and acquiring the same military capabilities that the US already possesses, to try to maintain the US' advantage.

Politics as usual then? 

[dalekphalm]

1 hour ago, rcmaehl said:

Source:
The Guardian

 

Summary:
An Indian missile test created over 400 pieces of orbital debris, Over 24 of which headed in the direction of the International Space Station

 

Media:
-snip-

 

Quotes/Excerpts:

 

My Thoughts:
I had assumed most countries were on the same page about not creating additional space debris as it negatively affects EVERYONE. While it may be unlikely that the ISS is going to be hit, it still must be pretty scary for an event like this to happen, in which you're flying in a metal tube at 7.8 km/s at a bunch of debris without much option for escape. Regardless, I'm sure several countries would be quick to mount a rescue effort considering the International nature of the Station.

Fortunately the ISS always has at least one lander docked to the station at all times, acting as an escape vehicle for the crew.

 

I believe they currently use Soyuz capsules - that's likely to change (or perhaps, be added to) with the human ready rating on the CST-100 (Boeing) and Dragon (SpaceX) capsules.

 

And of course, eventually, the Orion too.

 

But yes, if we assume a scenario where the escape vehicle is disabled due to the debris, we'd have anyone with a human-capable vehicle launching as soon as is technically possible.... which basically leaves us in the hands of the Russians and Chinese. They are the only ones with human-rated vehicles that can reach the ISS.

 

Both CST-100 and Dragon should be operational and human rated this year though.

[TVwazhere]

Just now, dalekphalm said:

which basically leaves us in the hands of the Russians and Chinese. They are the only ones with human-rated vehicles that can reach the ISS..

Is this because NASA scaled back their space programs significantly? (aka the shuttle program)

 

Also, you forget the Americans already have a human rated vehicle in space

Spoiler

:^)

 

[dalekphalm]

6 minutes ago, TVwazhere said:

Is this because NASA scaled back their space programs significantly? (aka the shuttle program)

Yes. When they retired the Shuttle, they had no human rated vehicle to replace it. Orion has been in development since the early 1990's, but kept getting budget cuts and scale backs. Dragon v2 and CST-100 are likely to be the first human rated back in space - both within a few months of each other, later this year.

6 minutes ago, TVwazhere said:

Also, you forget the Americans already have a human rated vehicle in space

  Hide contents

:^)

 

Lol true that. Of course, I wouldn't exactly want to ride along with him through the orbital burn...

[DrMacintosh]

All of this debris is in low orbit and is decaying. It will eventually all fall back down to earth and probably burn up. How soon that will happen idk.  

[dalekphalm]

21 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

All of this debris is in low orbit and is decaying. It will eventually all fall back down to earth and probably burn up. How soon that will happen idk.  

True, but it's above the ISS orbital plane. It could be a hazard to not only the ISS, but also other satellites.

 

It was irresponsible of India (and China and the US) to do this.

[Leviathan-]

6 hours ago, sazrocks said:

Not really. Space is big.

Too much garbage in your face? There's plenty of space out in space!

[Dash Lambda]

This is why we can't have nice things.

 

Seriously, we don't need the prove that we can blow things up in space. Let's just try getting out there first, for god's sake...

 

I really hope nobody decides to test a nuke in orbit.

[dalekphalm]

28 minutes ago, Dash Lambda said:

I really hope nobody decides to test a nuke in orbit.

You're actually super duper too late. Project Fishbowl - specifically, Starfish Prime. A 1.4 mt nuclear warhead was detonated in space, at approximately 250 miles (402 km) above sea level.

 

This was back in 1962, so the threat to satellites was extremely small, since there basically weren't many up there. It would be devastating now though (the EMP blast was insane - unless the satellite is hardened against EMP, it'll get fried).

[ouroesa]

And here I thought it was pretty difficult to keep things in orbit. Why don't they have an 'orbit ejection device' similar to a small rocket that shoots the satellites off into space once they are dead?

[dalekphalm]

1 minute ago, ouroesa said:

And here I thought it was pretty difficult to keep things in orbit. Why don't they have an 'orbit ejection device' similar to a small rocket that shoots the satellites off into space once they are dead?

How exactly would that work?

 

The impact shatters the satellite into thousands of pieces. And it's even worse if the impact device also contains explosives.

 

At best, they maybe could "aim down" with the impact device, but that wouldn't really help if there's stuff below the satellite (which, the ISS is below the satellite that was destroyed).

 

You'd have to physically grab and capture the satellite, whole, intact, in order to "shoot it off into space".