Space junk 'in the millions' could cause 'genuine threat' to life on Earth
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A space physics expert has sounded the alarm over the dangers of space junk orbiting Earth at speeds of 18,000mph, warning that it could pose a serious threat to life on our planet. Dr Ian Whittaker from Nottingham Trent University spoke to Reach, highlighting that although the chances of being struck by falling debris are slim, any impact could be catastrophic and even deadly.
This comes in the wake of an incident where a space ring, believed to be from a 2008 Ariane rocket launch, crashed into the Kenyan village of Mukuku, causing local shockwaves and sparking concerns about the risks associated with space debris. In an exclusive chat with Reach, Dr Whittaker emphasised the growing risk as the number of objects larger than a phone in orbit exceeds 36,000, urging companies like Elon Musk's SpaceX to take preventative measures.
He explained: "While the probability of being hit by a falling piece of space debris is very low currently, with over 36,000 objects (and rising) bigger than a phone in orbit the probabilities will increase over the coming years.". He also warned of the high potential for damage, noting: "The potential for damage to both life and property is high, any falling object that doesn't disintegrate in the atmosphere will be travelling fast and the drag force will heat it to very high temperatures.".
"While it would be moving at about 8 km/s in orbit (18000 mph), it will significantly slow down in the atmosphere which is where the debris will be heated but is still likely to be travelling around the 100 m/s mark (200+ mph). For an object like the Ariane separation ring if it landed in a dense urban area it would have easily destroyed a building and potentially killed people," reports the Express.
