Humans are venturing further into space than ever before, with NASA approving missions to Jupiter’s moons and SpaceX aiming to put people on Mars. This new era of space exploration could reshape our understanding of the universe, and NPR’s science podcast, Short Wave, is here to guide listeners through this journey.
In the Space Camp series, host Emily Kwong explores the physics of space launches, detailing how objects are sent up into space and how they eventually come back down. Astronaut Wendy Lawrence, who has experienced multiple launches, describes the feeling of weightlessness and the sensation of slowly falling back to Earth once in orbit. This slow fall is actually a form of free fall, similar to dropping in the Tower of Terror ride at Disneyland.
The concept of orbit, as explained by Isaac Newton, involves shooting a cannonball from a high mountain with enough force to keep it from hitting the ground. This curved path matches the Earth’s curvature, allowing objects to stay in orbit. However, not all objects remain in orbit, leading to an increasing amount of space junk in low Earth orbit.
Space junk, consisting of debris from satellite collisions and defunct equipment, poses a threat to operational spacecraft and astronauts. Even small fragments can cause damage due to the high speeds at which objects travel in orbit. With over 45,000 known objects in space, efforts to mitigate space debris are crucial to ensuring the sustainability of space activities.
Astrodynamicist Moriba Jah emphasizes the need for international cooperation and regulations to address the issue of space junk. Incentivizing industries to design reusable and recyclable satellites could help reduce the amount of debris in orbit and promote a more sustainable approach to space exploration.
As we look towards the future of space travel, it is essential to consider the impact of space debris and the importance of responsible practices in orbit. By addressing these challenges, we can ensure a safer and more sustainable environment for space exploration and scientific research.
