Orbiting Space Junk Must Be Swept Up in 5 Years Under US Plan

US regulators concerned with a proliferation of orbiting space junk amid a new generation of thousands of satellites are poised to require a quicker cleanup of defunct spacecraft.

By:BLOOMBERG
| Updated on: Sep 09 2022, 23:26 IST
Start me up! NASA worry about James Webb Space Telescope now almost over
orbital debris
1/5 FILE PHOTO: The James Webb Space Telescope is packed up for shipment to its launch site in Kourou, French Guiana in an undated photograph at Northrop Grumman's Space Park in Redondo Beach, California. NASA/Chris Gunn/Handout via REUTERS MANDATORY CREDIT. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY./File Photo (via REUTERS)
image caption
2/5 According to space.com, This move will now enable NASA to begin instrument commissioning, entering a new preparation phase. The alignment process took several months to successfully align the mirrors and instruments. (AFP)
orbital debris
3/5 Scott Acton, Webb wavefront sensing and controls scientist at Ball Aerospace, said in the NASA statement, "These images have profoundly changed the way I see the universe. We are surrounded by a symphony of creation; there are galaxies everywhere. It is my hope that everyone in the world can see them.” (NASA)
orbital debris
4/5 The James Webb Space Telescope was a $10 billion project which was launched on December 25, 2021. "The optical performance of the telescope continues to be better than the engineering team's most optimistic predictions," NASA officials said in the statement, noting that the image quality of the telescope is only "diffraction limited." (AP)
orbital debris
5/5 The telescope will still need further calibrations. NASA officials said, "The telescope will be commanded to point to different areas in the sky, where the total amount of solar radiation hitting the observatory will vary to confirm thermal stability when changing targets. Furthermore, ongoing maintenance observations every two days will monitor the mirror alignment and, when needed, apply corrections to keep the mirrors in their aligned locations.” (AP)
orbital debris
icon View all Images
Orbital debris includes discarded rockets, defunct satellites and more which have crowded the space just above the Earth's atmosphere. (AFP)

US regulators concerned with a proliferation of orbiting space junk amid a new generation of thousands of satellites are poised to require a quicker cleanup of defunct spacecraft.

Operators will need to bring satellites down from orbit within five years of the crafts' ending service, compared with the current requirement of 25 years, under a proposal issued Thursday by Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. The matter faces a Sept. 29 vote at the agency and is expected to pass.

You may be interested in

MobilesTablets Laptops
7% OFF
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
  • Black Titanium
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 256 GB Storage
28% OFF
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 5G
  • Green
  • 12 GB RAM
  • 256 GB Storage
Google Pixel 8 Pro
  • Obsidian
  • 12 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
Apple iPhone 15 Plus
  • Black
  • 6 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage

“Orbital debris poses a significant risk to our nation's space ambitions,” the FCC said in its proposed order. With more than 4,800 satellites operating, “there are many more to come.”

Also read
Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder click here.

Defunct satellites, discarded rocket cores, and other debris now fill the space environment creating challenges for future missions, the FCC said.

Catch all the Latest Tech News, Mobile News, Laptop News, Gaming news, Wearables News , How To News, also keep up with us on Whatsapp channel,Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.

First Published Date: 09 Sep, 23:26 IST
NEXT ARTICLE BEGINS