The following graphic is a computer generated image of an object in low Earth orbit that is currently being tracked. Orbital debris points are scaled to graphical image scale for increased visibility and are not scaled on the ground. (Source ODPO NASA)
The “worst case scenario” was thwarted Friday when two large pieces of space debris collided with each other, according to… Leolab.
LeoLabs said the debris included dead satellites Kosmos 2361 and the SL-8 rocket fuselage, two of the countless space debris currently in low Earth orbit.
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for me NASAObjects in Low Earth Orbit (or LEO) include objects orbiting our planet at an altitude of 1,200 miles (2,000 km) or less.
On Friday, Kosmos 2381 and the SL-8 rocket object nearly collided at an altitude of about 611 miles (984 km).
Image showing how two large invalid objects in LEO passed each other on January 27, 2023. Each line represents the trajectory of the bodies of the SL-8 rocket (16511) and the Cosmos 2361 satellite (25590).
(LeoLabs / https://leolabs.space / FOX Weather)
LeoLabs determined that the two pieces of space debris missed each other by about 20 feet (6 meters), with a margin of error of only a few tens of meters.
“We have identified this type of collision – between two discarded objects – as a ‘worst case scenario’ because it is largely out of our control and will likely produce a ripple effect from a serious collision encounter,” LeoLabs said in a statement. menciak.
They say that if the bodies of the Cosmos 2381 and SL-8 rockets collide with each other, the collision will produce thousands of new pieces of debris that will last for decades.
Telescopes have helped humans see the universe beyond our reach and find ways to explore it.
This close-in collision is important because it shows how much space debris is floating in low Earth orbit.
According to LeoLabs, the LEO coating is It is only about 62 miles thick It contains about 160 SL-8 missile bodies, along with 160 of their payloads, which have been deployed for more than 20 years.
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LeoLabs said the “bad environment” in low Earth orbit lies between 950 and 1,050 kilometers and remains a debris collision hotspot.
Astronaut Randy Bresnik takes part in a spacewalk outside the International Space Station. The International Space Station is located in low Earth orbit.
(NASA)
These crashes and near misses in LEO remain a major concern for many.
Because besides being inhabited by dead space debris, LEO district It is also considered a fairly close area a land For convenient transportation, communication, monitoring, and supply, according to NASA.
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In fact, LEO is the place to be International space station its current orbit and where many of the proposed future platforms will be located.
