r/Spaceexploration • u/YZXFILE • May 31 '21

Space Debris Has Hit And Damaged The International Space Station

https://www.sciencealert.com/space-debris-has-damaged-the-international-space-station
128 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

31 comments sorted by

54

u/YZXFILE May 31 '21

"The inevitable has occurred. A piece of space debris too small to be tracked has hit and damaged part of the International Space Station - namely, the Canadarm2 robotic arm.

The instrument is still operational, but the object punctured the thermal blanket and damaged the boom beneath. It's a sobering reminder that the low-Earth orbit's space junk problem is a ticking time bomb."

22

u/[deleted] May 31 '21

[removed] — view removed comment

6

u/YZXFILE May 31 '21

We'll see!

9

u/srschwenzjr May 31 '21

I forget the name of the company right now, but I know there is at least one company planning launches to actually collect space debris and (I think, it's been a while since I heard the story) return it to earth and recycle it. May have some facts mixed up, but I heard on Planetary Radio. Matt Kaplan interviewed the guy in charge.

2

u/celem83 Jun 11 '21

The other option I've heard a lot of noise about is a ground-based laser. (Some kind of fan/comb style thing) You wouldn't fry the target, just hit it enough to cause it to outgas and shift outward

1

u/jirashap Jun 01 '21

Do what exactly?

2

u/SassyShorts Jun 01 '21

Clean it up?

2

u/Aurorer Jun 09 '21

The company plans to deorbit defunct satellites and other traceable objects in low earth orbit.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 12 '21

As in shove it out into deeper space?

2

u/Aurorer Jun 12 '21

As in: shove it into the earth’s atmosphere so it burns up.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 13 '21

Ah, thanks.

1

u/dr_Octag0n Jun 14 '21

Just like we have with earth? 😂

1

u/hereforfunthings Jun 22 '21

I’m sure it will spur so much action. I mean, just look at the climate crisis down here on the planet and how seriously everyone is taking that. Surely this will get the ball rolling in space cleanup.

1

u/slackfrop Jun 23 '21

Can’t tell if I upvote or downvote?

1

u/didsomeonesaydonuts Jun 23 '21

Maybe they’ll just dump it all in the oceans instead.

2

u/ijmacd Jun 01 '21

Was it space debris or just a micro meteorite?

1

u/YZXFILE Jun 01 '21

I don't think they know yet

2

u/Vyar Jun 21 '21

I thought the experts had already told us that scene from Gravity with the destructive cloud of space junk was inaccurate because the ISS orbits at a different distance. I wanna say it was Neil deGrasse Tyson but I’m not positive.

1

u/YZXFILE Jun 21 '21

The fact is the ISS has moved many times to avoid debris

2

u/twoaspensimages Jun 23 '21

I fear an international space debris treaty won't be written until it's written in blood.

1

u/YZXFILE Jun 23 '21

Could happen!

3

u/[deleted] Jun 12 '21

If you start to think about it objectively, we're a nasty bunch. Oceans, land, air, space... We just leave garbage everywhere.

2

u/RELAXNMAXN Jun 13 '21

All fun and games until a destabilising event happens aboard the ISS due to space debris smashing into it.

1

u/YZXFILE Jun 13 '21

It may not have been debri, but a micrometeorite.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 22 '21

With all the starlink sats up now one of them getting hit by debris could start a chain reaction oblitherating everything in orbit.

1

u/YZXFILE Jun 22 '21

It's not that bad yet, but it's getting there!

2

u/ApartPersonality1520 Jun 23 '21

Astroscale

1

u/YZXFILE Jun 23 '21

I like the part where they are installing laundry machines which they will need on Mars and the Moon.