Tumbling space debris on your front lawn?

Many people favor initiatives to improve safety and security. They may dream about peace and harmony yet, still fear what may be around the corner. Increased surveillance and vigilence help. Still, incidents continue to unfold which cause us to question how safe we really are on a fragile blue planet. How might we rethink our actions and learn from the consequences of our choices?

In late February 2007, debris from a Russian rocket booster that exploded over Australia. Few people who realize satellites and spacecraft are launched into space also realize what happens to them. Most people who have access to television and cell phones don't often think about the telecommunications and other systems systems functioning high above that enable us to live as we do.  Not only do the spacecraft which cease to function contribute to the growing cloud of space junk above the Earth, but pieces unpredictably fall in the atmosphere. All of it doesn't burn it either. Look out! What would you say if space debis tumbled high speed into your yard?

Spaceweather.com and the U. S. Air Force Space Surveillance System indicated the rocket booster was orbiting several hundred kilometres above Australia before it fell.  The rocket booster and a communications satellite it was attached to, ended up in the wrong orbit after a malfunction during its launch a year ago. Why is it that these incidents don't often hit the news? And, if the media does run a story, it doesn't keep our attention very long. Apparently man-made space objects that are no longer working get more press when they fall from the sky?

The malfunction left the rocket booster hurtling off-course, partially filled with fuel. According to the US Air Force, radars have so far detected 1111 fragments from the explosion, with that number growing. This debris is from this single incident.Consider what this means for potential space debris and falling, human-created matter from thousands of satellites orbiting the Earth. Its difficult to ascertain the exact implications, but should we disregard the matter entirely?

Back in 2001, the deorbiting of the Russian Mir space station was controlled, yet there was still debris. Mir was brought down and sunk in a desolate stretch of the south Pacific. Responsibility to third parties for possible damages related to the deorbiting of the station was insured for about $200 million. It was a huge and expensive process. Who would pay to deorbit satellites? No company or government or independent party is volunteering.  

It is likely to take many weeks before the fate will be known about the Russian rocket fragments from late February 2007. Some are too small to track. Experts suggest it is very unlikely that a rocket fragment will hit you on the head. Yet, more people are looking upward and thinking about the possibility.

"This stuff burns up in the atmosphere on re-entry," says Canberra-based space researcher Dr Duncan Steel.

"Indeed if you had a big chunk of solid material it might reach the ground intact, just as meteorites do," he says. "The chances of that hitting somebody and causing any damage is exceedingly small."

Some space scientists, space agency professionals and politicians believe the main danger from the swarm of fast moving fragments such an explosion is for humans and functioning satellites and space systems in space.  Other space experts disagree. They feel space debris matters require more attention, such as legal, financial and other proactive systems to deal with potential falling debris. These concerned experts see this as a serious environmental hazard.

Note how space objects like micro-meteorites smaller than a millimetre across have caused problems crashing into the windows of the space shuttle and have damaged orbiting satellites. The issue seems to demand more than simple reflection on Earth. What will it take for action?