Questions tagged [space-debris]
For questions involving things like man-made space junk and other unwelcome material that may pose a threat to spacecraft. Consider combining with related tags such as [orbital-mechanics] or [space-travel].
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Question about Kessler syndrome
I'm writing a novel set in a post post-apocalyptic world, where society on Earth collapsed a long time ago and has rebuilt itself by the time the novel starts.
I need a reason to keep the people ...
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How can solar sailed ships be protected from space debris?
So we all know that interstellar starships that travel at high relativistic speeds, like 50% c or above, would be very susceptible to getting destroyed just by a grain of salt hitting it during travel....
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Can space debris be used as a heat sink for re-entry?
In the world I'm building, a nuclear war and subsequent repressive chaos have led all satellites to be destroyed by the powers that be, around 10 years from now. A few years later, a small spacecraft, ...
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If a generations ship was destroyed while in low Eath orbit (LEO), would debris fall to the surface?
I understand there are a lot of factors to consider here, but would it be possible for material from the ship's destruction to fall to earth and cause significant damage to a city? What is a ...
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How to Effectively Collect and Recycle Space Junk?
The Question
What would be an efficient and relatively low-cost solution for collecting and recycling of space junk?
The most important criterion of effectiveness is the ability to remove even small ...
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Can a satellite a little bigger than the ISS be disguised as space debris?
Say we have a fascist government that plans to use a kinetic strike weapon upon another country, but in this world, the Outer Space Treaty has been refined to not only include forbidding WMD's in ...
user38070
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Space station debris
What happens to small pieces of debris left floating around inside a derelict space station?
My space station had 100 people aboard, and due to sabotage, it decompressed and was abandoned. Inside, ...
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Could burning debris keep burning in space?
To have a fire you need three things: oxygen, heat and flammable material, therefore the cold vacuum of space is the last place you would expect something to burn. I was, however, wondering if a very ...
user28547
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Would ablation be an effective way to redirect objects in space?
So I'm writing a story set in the close(ish) future(say 2130), and space debris is starting to be a real problem. Stations in orbit are constantly having to maneuver out of the paths of orbital debris,...
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Avoiding Space Debris [duplicate]
It occurred to me the other day that when a spaceship is travelling at near relativistic speeds, encountering a tiny rock could rip it apart.
What could be done to protect from such incidents ...
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Blocking sunlight using space debris
Can large amount space debris be used to block sunlight from falling in a particular land area (about the size of Hawaiian islands)? If so, how much space debris will be required? What will be the ...
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