How Space Junk Could Crash the Global Economy | Andrea Antonello | TEDxLondonBusinessSchool

Key Concepts:

• Space Debris: Inactive, human-made objects in orbit around Earth.
• Kinetic Energy: Energy possessed by an object due to its motion.
• Collision Cascade/Kesler Syndrome: A self-sustaining cascading collision of space debris, creating more debris.
• Satellite Dependence: Reliance on satellites for critical infrastructure like communication, navigation, and finance.
• Active Debris Removal (ADR): Technologies and missions aimed at removing existing space debris.
• End-of-Life (EOL) Planning: Designing satellites with disposal in mind from the beginning.

Space Debris: A Growing Threat

A seemingly harmless marble, weighing only a few grams, when placed in orbit, attains a speed of 8 kilometers per second, which is 20 times faster than a bullet. At this speed, the marble possesses the kinetic energy equivalent to a hand grenade. This highlights the danger of even small objects in space due to their immense speed and resulting energy.

The problem: Space is not empty. It is filled with satellites. A collision with a satellite could shatter it into thousands of even smaller, equally dangerous pieces traveling at high speeds.

The Domino Effect: Kesler Syndrome

These fragments can trigger a chain reaction. The first collision triggers another collision. The collision triggers yet another and another. This is known as the Kesler syndrome, named after the NASA scientist who pioneered a lot of the early research in space debris, describes a scenario in which a single collision leads to a cascading effect, creating an exponential increase in space debris. While this hasn't happened yet, it remains a real possibility if no action is taken.

Satellite Dependence and Potential Blackouts

Our modern world is heavily reliant on satellites for navigation, communication, weather updates, and even financial systems. A collision in space has the potential to trigger a domino effect causing widespread satellite failures. This could lead to a major blackout. Consequences include:

• Phone become useless
• No GPS to guide you
• No weather updates
• Air traffic seriously disrupted
• Emergency call are not available

The next big blackout could originate from space, with potentially catastrophic consequences.

The Scale of the Problem

Currently, there are over 36,000 large pieces of debris being tracked, and millions more that are too small to track. This debris does not slow down, run out of fuel, or take a day off and continuously circles Earth potentially forever. Space is becoming increasingly overcrowded, transitioning from a "quiet and peaceful country road" to a "very busy and polluted motorway".

The Iridium-Cosmos Collision: A Wake-Up Call

In February 2009, an American Iridium satellite collided with a Russian Cosmos satellite. This collision generated over 2,000 new pieces of debris. These debris are still posing a threat 15 years later. The International Space Station has even had to maneuver to avoid some of them. This event served as a "stark wakeup call."

Clear Space One: Active Debris Removal

Clear Space is a company dedicated to tackling the space debris issue. In 2028, Clear Space will launch Clear Space One, a mission to remove a piece of space debris. Clear Space One is the first of its kind. The spacecraft will use a grasping system inspired by nature, featuring four tentacles that are strong but soft and padded to avoid further damage to the debris. The challenges include accurately navigating, identifying, and capturing debris. A spent, dead satellite is likely to spin. The robot needs the precision of a surgeon and the agility of a dancer. After capture, the debris will be released into Earth's atmosphere, where it will burn up.

A Shared Responsibility and Call to Action

The Clear Space One mission is just the beginning. The goal is to make debris removal a routine part of space operations, incorporating disposal plans into satellite launches. This is not just a technical challenge, but a shared responsibility. Just as we have addressed environmental issues on Earth, we must do the same for space. Technology can help us solve this human-made problem. Collaboration between governments, private companies, scientists, and the public is essential to raise awareness and address this issue.

Conclusion:

The choices we make today will determine the future of space for generations to come. We must act responsibly to preserve space, which has given us so much. A marble in hand is harmless, but in orbit, it has the potential to change everything.