Space junk is expected to get a lot worse in Earth orbit, raising concerns that it could impact satellites or other spacecraft. (Image Credit: ESA)
IDK why space debris makes me so upset. I’ve written about it and what’s being done about it - for a long time. Hope this is the first step to some real action.
According to the ESA, approximately 4,700 active satellites orbit the Earth. To reduce the clutter, Privateer, a startup founded by Steve Wozniak and Alex Fielding, wants to collect space junk data, making Earth orbit a safer and better place to understand. The company plans to achieve this by incorporating various data, such as crowdsourced information, and through its satellite fleet, which will study orbital debris. The first group of satellites is set to launch in February 2022.
The ESA also says that around 36,500 pieces of space junk are at least over 4 inches wide, and 1 million fragments measure 0.4 inches to 4 inches across. Additionally, it estimates that 330 million pieces are smaller than 0.4 inches but larger than 0.04 inches. Due to their traveling speeds, these objects can severely damage or destroy a satellite.
Even then, space junk is expected to crowd Earth orbit, significantly worsening the issue in the future. That’s because numerous companies plan on developing massive constellations of internet-beaming satellites. SpaceX, for example, already launched around 1,800 satellites for its Starlink network, which could grow to 40,000. Additionally, Amazon plans to create a constellation of 3,200 broadband satellites.
Several organizations, such as the U.S. military and private companies like LeoLabs, are currently monitoring space junk. Now, Privateer wants to play a key role in those efforts, eventually producing the “Google Maps of space.” To achieve this, the startup plans on creating and analyzing a massive debris datasheet that incorporates data from varying sources.
Privateer is expected to purchase some of this information, crowdsource it, and use its satellites to collect additional data. If everything goes well, this data could lead to much more than a census of orbital debris. Privateer’s goal involves categorizing each space junk based on its size, shape, spin rate, and other characteristics.
This information allows satellite operators to understand dangers associated with orbital debris while improving their estimations into how long space debris stays aloft. The company also plans to publicly release its data and analysis while selling others to customers. Planet, a San Francisco-based company that launches Earth-observing satellites, also uses this multilayered approach.
In the long run, Privateer’s goal is to improve earth orbit working conditions by making it safer.
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