This page has been created to inform the general public of the growing problem that is commonly referred to as Space Debris. I hope this page will teach you more about Space Debris and will encourage you to act and do something about it.
"The now familiar image of the earth in space--that white-frosted, blue-green ball hung in black emptiness--makes the place look pristine. But if the camera pulls back a bit farther, a thin belt of manmade debris comes into view some 200 to 500 miles above the surface of the earth. Here lie the remains of virtually every space mission launched since the Soviets sent Sputnik 1 aloft in 1957."
--Dava Sobel (Audubon)
Water, air, noise; these are all the types of pollution that are currently household names in the United States, as well as in many other foreign countries. However, there is one type of pollution that can be more dangerous than the three listed above. Unfortunately, very few people are aware of this growing danger. This type of pollution is specifically referred to as space debris.
The earliest forms of space debris were derived from the thirteenth century, when people began experimenting with rockets. It did not, however, reach a high level until the twentieth century when the space program really began to take off. From flecks of paint, to burned out satellites and even to screwdrivers dropped by astronauts; all of these items began polluting space. Space debris is a problem that grows tremendously each year with new space shuttles and satellites launched into space.
I believe that people must first be educated about this problem since many are not aware of its serious danger to them. Something must be done about this problem soon, before it becomes too late. On the other hand, it would cost too much money to execute these actions. The only reasonable solution is to make sure no more new space debris will be left in space. Then, we can slowly begin to get rid of each piece of debris, one by one.
Read Basic Information on Space Debris.
Read the Author's Opinion on Space Debris.
Read Possible Solutions to Space Debris.
Find Out What You Can Do to Help the Space Debris Cause.
View Various Pictures That Are Related to Space Debris.
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