Space debris has reached a critical mass, said NASA Bashny.Net

Javascript is not just flying in outer space, and under the influence of Earth's gravity is wrapped like a belt around the planet. < Since 1957, when it was launched the first satellite of the Earth, people have polluted space to such an extent that in the near future, this can not only prevent the further exploration of the cosmos, but also become a threat to Earth. «We have reached what is called the" critical density ". Quite large objects in space collide with each other and create a debris faster than it can be removed, "- he said recently the former NASA scientist Donald Kessler.





He predicted that in the end in Earth orbit is so much garbage that explore deep space (sending satellites into Pluto and manned expedition to Mars) will be simply impossible. Right now, more than half of man-made space debris objects in orbit of Earth. About 23 thousand of them are the size of a softball.

size of garbage is an important factor, but, according to scientists, the speed with which it moves, makes it very dangerous. At a distance of over 320 km above the Earth's surface objects moving at a speed of about 28, 2 thousand. km / h (approximately 8 km / sec). For comparison, the speed of a bullet fired from an AK-47, is about 715 m / s.

If the spacecraft gets to the scrap metal the size of a softball at a speed that will get serious damage. So, in 2009 the Russian satellite collided with an American. The results were disastrous. The satellites were destroyed, and there was still space for more than 2 thousand. Debris debris.



via naked-science.ru/article/media/nasa-kosmicheskii-musor-dostig