Space Debris Crisis

Space Debris Crisis

Why in News?

A 500-kg metal object crashed in Kenya, raising concerns over space debris and highlighting the growing global issues related to accountability and safety measures for debris reentries.

What is Space Debris?

• About: According to the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), space debris refers to all man-made objects, including fragments and parts of them, in Earth’s orbit or re-entering the atmosphere, that are non-functional. This includes defunct satellites, rocket stages, and debris from explosions or collisions.
• Origin: Most space debris originates from on-orbit breakups, such as satellites or rocket stages exploding, colliding, or fragmenting in space.
  NASA estimates there are 23,000 pieces of debris larger than a baseball, 500,000 marble-sized pieces, and 100 million fragments over one millimeter orbiting Earth.

Space Debris Destruction:

• Space debris loses altitude and burns up upon re-entry due to atmospheric drag, a process enhanced by the 11-year solar activity cycle, which causes the atmosphere to expand and accelerates the decay of low-orbit debris.

Associated Risks:

• On-Orbit Risks: Larger debris can destroy satellites, while fragments as small as 1 cm can disable spacecraft. Millimeter-sized particles can erode surfaces and damage solar panels.
• Re-entry Risks: Although most debris burns up during re-entry, some larger fragments may reach Earth, though the risk of injury remains very low.
• Kessler Syndrome: This refers to a chain reaction of debris collisions that generates even more debris, potentially making certain orbits unusable for future space missions.

International Regulations:

• Outer Space Treaty (1967): Article VI of the treaty holds states responsible for all national space activities, including private ones, but lacks effective enforcement mechanisms.
• Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects (1972): This treaty imposes absolute liability for space object damage on Earth, requiring no proof of negligence, but enforcement remains weak.
• Voluntary UN Guidelines on Deorbiting: The UN recommends deorbiting satellites within 25 years of their mission's end, but the compliance rate is only around 30%.

Initiatives to Remove Space Debris:

• Global Initiatives: ClearSpace-1 and Remove DEBRIS (ESA), OSAM-1 (NASA).
• India’s Initiatives: Debris Free Space Mission (DFSM), Network for Space Object Tracking and Analysis (NETRA).

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