Topshot – A computer-generated artists’ impression published by the European Space Agency (ESA) shows an estimated 12 000 objects in orbit around Earth.
-/ESA/AFP via Getty Images
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-/ESA/AFP via Getty Images
Topshot – A computer-generated artists’ impression published by the European Space Agency (ESA) shows an estimated 12 000 objects in orbit around Earth.
-/ESA/AFP via Getty Images
In 1957, the space age began with the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik. Since then, the number of objects launched by humans toward the stars has grown into the thousands. As these objects collided with each other, they created more space debris in Earth’s orbit. By some estimates, all that debris and man-made space trash, objects — from satellites to screws — could number in the millions.
This debris must be tracked to avoid collisions, which could force the International Space Station (ISS) to redirect, disrupting pre-planned initiatives such as spacewalks. Collisions with space debris as small as 1 cm could penetrate the ISS shield and damage the station. And the more objects we launch into orbit, the denser the traffic to navigate.
A possible solution? Daniel Wood, assistant professor of aeronautics and astronautics at MIT, says launching companies and governments apply their green sustainability concepts.
as part of Short waveOn its AAAS Live Show series, Daniel sat down with co-host Aaron Scott to talk about a vision of sustainability in space. The effort begins with the Space Sustainability Rating (SSR), an incentive system created after LEED certification for green buildings. The system is multi-faceted considering aspects like collision preparedness, information sharing and future debris reduction. At least one company has already applied for and received a certification using SSR. That initial rating was Bronze, the lowest of four possible ratings.
“In some ways, I was pleased that our first rating was low because it means we’re all saying there’s a lot more to work on and grow,” Wood said. For him, the initial rating is the entry point into an ongoing conversation with outside organizations in the growing aerospace industry. A company’s rating is variable based on their ongoing mission and efforts. Companies increasingly aim to own social responsibility to become key players in influencing the future of space exploration and technology.
“We’ve been dreaming for years that space robots would be able to build space stations that people could see. Things like this are now moving from the dream stage to the venture capital stage. In reality, let’s be thoughtful about the potential long-term impact of our actions,” Wood said. said
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Have a story about space innovation that you want to share with us? It turns our way shortwave@npr.org.
This episode was produced by Burley McCoy, edited by Rebecca Ramirez and fact-checked by Britt Hanson. Josh Newell is the audio engineer.