Kessler syndrome 'threatens our future in space' unless proactive cleanup efforts are taken, according to a new report. (Image credit: janiecbros/Getty Images)
The European Space Agency's (ESA) latest State of the Space Environment report says that, if left unchecked, the space around our planet could become so cluttered with debris that some orbits will become unusable.
The report, released April 1, said that while new regulations to limit space debris are becoming more common, they are not enough to prevent collisions with existing debris in orbit, which could lead to the formation of dangerous debris clouds in a runaway process known as “Kessler syndrome.”
“Even if we did not create new space debris, it would not be enough to prevent a chain of collisions and fragmentations,” ESA notes. “The existing number of space debris objects larger than 1 cm, capable of causing catastrophic damage, exceeds 1.2 million, while more than 50,000 objects are larger than 10 cm.”
You may like
Sourse: www.livescience.com
