A growing concern among scientists is the amount of space junk outside our atmosphere. Space junk can include any man-made object such as abandoned space equipment, broken or unused satellites, astronaut materials to small items like gloves and toothbrushes. Space junk usually burns up in our atmosphere before ever reaching the surface of the earth. And, the space junk is found in a portion of space around the earth that also houses meteors, asteroids and stellar dust. However, space junk can create some problems for space travel.
For example, a satellite was destroyed over Siberia in 2009 and sometimes space junk can collide with each other creating more debris and more possible collisions. What makes these collisions concerning are really two factors. One, any satellite or space ship exiting our atmosphere will face possible collisions. Secondly, the speed of the space junk is several thousands of miles per hour!
Recently, a Japanese company who built its business on creating knotless, massive fishing nets is teaming up with Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency to construct massive nets to capture the space junk littering Earth's orbit.
Questions to consider for discussion:
1. Will these nets work? How would you go about making sure something like this will work?
2. Should we be concerned about the space junk if it never reaches the earth? Why or why not?
3. Are these nets a waste of time? Why or why not?
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