Luna, we have a problem with space debris

History a piece of rocket On the 4th of next March, yes You will hit the moonin addition to arousing curiosity, he has a lot to teach us, especially regarding the topic ofspace pollution. It is, in fact, The first space debris To reach the surface of the moon unintentionally and that Lifts in researchers around the world many doubts About how, in the future where flights to our satellite will be more and more frequent, space agencies e private companies They will manage lunar pollution.

Article published in Science.org tracks each other from the missile On a collision course with the Moon, we’ve told you many times OccasionsFrom the point of viewold problem Fromspace pollution. To give a brief summary: In January, independent astronomer Bill Gray A . reported: Object directed towards the mooninitially specified as part of a file SpaceX rocket It was launched in 2015. New observations by the research team led by Vishnu Reddy, a researcher who studies near-Earth objects at the University of Arizona, suggested that it was instead Chinese missile launch in 2014.

space debris problem

there difficulty to determine the origin of mysterious object The one directed against the moon did nothing but emphasize its magnitude Difficult to spot space debris. Currently, according to NASAtracked by more than 27,000 debris orbiting the Earth, up to 58,000 km from our planet. Not only that: they will be many more The debris is too small to be detected, but large enough Threatening space flights and the robotic missions which are close to the ground (we are talking about 100 million fragments measuring 1 mm or more).

The growing number of space missions, both before public space agencies that of to publishdid nothing but increase the number of debris in space, which is a Dangerous to all spacecraft Such as International Space Station and the dragon crew by SpaceX. In fact, since space travel vehicles and debris travel at very high speeds, they are real problembecause the impact even with one part of the debris can Create big problems for space missions.

Dangers on the moon

But space debris is found not only around the Earth: the Moon is located approximately 400,000 km from the Earth and not much is known about it. Objects that are 70,000 km away from its surface. interview by to knowReddy speculates that there are approx 200 large pieces of space debris around the moonalthough no one knows for sure, since then Radars Usually used to locate space debris They can’t reach this part of space Which Telescopes cannot detect small objects It orbits the satellite due to its high brightness.