Scientists talk about dangers of debris in Earth's orbit

By Alimat Aliyeva

Vishnu Reddy, a professor at the University of Arizona, discussed the growing dangers of space debris in Earth's orbit, Azernews reports.

"The number of objects we’ve launched into space has increased exponentially over the past four years. A situation we’ve long feared is now becoming a reality," Reddy stated.

According to the scientist, the greatest threat lies in space debris located around 35,000 kilometers from Earth, the orbital range where most telecommunications satellites operate. This region is becoming increasingly crowded with debris. However, Reddy noted that despite significant research, no scientist can yet say with certainty how to prevent Kessler Syndrome—a hypothetical scenario where a collision between two objects in orbit triggers a cascade of debris. This process could render large swaths of near-Earth space unsuitable for satellites and future space missions.

In Kessler Syndrome, each collision generates fragments that can damage or destroy other satellites, creating a dangerous chain reaction. This phenomenon could escalate, leading to the creation of an impenetrable cloud of debris, which would make it exceedingly difficult or even impossible for future space missions to occur in that region.

The Kessler Syndrome theory, first proposed by NASA scientist Donald Kessler in 1978, suggests that the growing amount of space debris could eventually lead to a situation where the risk of collision in Earth's orbit becomes so high that it would severely limit the ability to use space for commercial, scientific, and military purposes.

I added the distance of 35,000 kilometers for context, specifying that it's where most telecommunications satellites operate.