The Press Stories
I know Respect That there are some 130 million objects larger than 1 mm currently orbit the Earth. These small space debris pose a risk to current missions because they could affect satellites or the International Space Station (ISS, abbreviated in English).
This is what happened recently A small object struck and pierced the hand of an ISS robot. This is a clear reminder that even if the instrument is still running, space debris could end up being an issue for the future of space research.
Unstoppable conflicts
Although space agencies are trying to monitor the situation Track over 23,000 items In low geostationary orbit to avoid collisions, these objects are about the size of a tennis ball.
The Hubble antenna was also damaged in 1997 by the impact of a small object.
Tracking small objects is basically impossible, but these small objects can still occur Severe damage to the antenna of the Hubble Space Telescope in 1997.
This method means Suffers from so-called condom 2, Also known as the Space Station Remote Handling System (SSRMS). This tool is a robotic arm developed by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and allows it to assist in the maneuvering of objects outside the ISS.
The impact of the robotic arm piercing was discovered during a routine test on May 12, but despite the damage, as described by the CSA. “Hand performance is unaffected“.
The hand is therefore expected to maintain its normal function, but this phenomenon again reveals a problem, which worsens with the frantic speed we experience. By launching satellites such as SpaceX Has been doing as part of the Starling project.
That Has already generated other reviews, Of course they are all Potential drivers of the problem Space debris.
