Space Debris jumps

[schlaugh]

It just keeps getting worse in terms of the debris floating around in NEO. From the July edition of NASA's Orbital Debris Quarterly News:


The extent of the debris cloud created by the destruction of the Fengyun-1C meteorological satellite on 11 January 2007 by a Chinese ballistic interceptor is becoming more apparent as routine and special radar observations of the fragments provide more data. By the end of June 2007 the U.S. Space Surveillance Network (SSN) was tracking more than 2200 objects with a size of at least 5 cm.

For the full report (and an interesting site):

http://www.orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/newsletter/newsletter.html

[Larry Jacks]

I was told during a briefing last month that NASA estimates upwards of 35,000 pieces 1 cm or larger were created by that test. Most of those pieces are too small to reliably track and catalog by the SSN. There was discussion of the decay rate for the debris that they can track. The analysis was admittedly rough but a lot of those pieces could be up there for at least 100 years.

[transreality]

See the report into the hole made in the space shuttle load bay door. The hole made by a 1.25mm fragment of circuit board travelling 4.14km/sec impacting at 45 degrees. About 25% of the frontal area of the shuttle is vulnerable to such an impact.

[Occam]

Yeah, but time and again China has proven that it can do whatever it wants, wherever it wants, to whomever it wants and get away with it.
Earth orbit or Tibet - no difference

[Warren Platts]

Their's was a clumsy, primitive weapon. Directed energy is the only way to go.

Unless, that is, their goal is to have the capability to deny space to everyone!

[schlaugh]

Unless, that is, their goal is to have the capability to deny space to everyone!

At current course and speed, they seem to be headed that way...

[Ronald Brak]

Why aren't countries that pollute space sued or fined? Because there is no international regulation of pollution in orbit. Why is there no regulation? Because no one bothered, despite the obvious benefits. But we can stop the situation getting worse. All we need is the largest and most powerful spacefaring nations to lead the world in promoting some international cooperation and develop some international law on pollution in orbit.

[Warren Platts]

The very first article in the link cited by schlaugh describes the new space debris guidelines accepted by the UN committee in charge of that stuff. Also, according to the Outer Space Treaty, a country is not liable for damages until actual damages have occurred. Since no damage has occurred as a result of the clumsy Chinese experiment--yet--then China is not liable--yet.

[mugaliens]

Yeah, but time and again China has proven that it can do whatever it wants, wherever it wants, to whomever it wants and get away with it.
Earth orbit or Tibet - no difference

Well, with any luck, their lunar mission just might be destroyed by impact with one of those pieces. That'll just add to the debris, but it'll also teach them the stupidity of polluting NEO.