[meteorite-list] Space Junk on TLC

From: Rob and Colleen <iguana_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:50:23 2004
Message-ID: <3CAC0553.92788BE6_at_pcez.com>

Hello all-
I caught a great one hour documentary on TLC this evening about space
junk and the problems that could very well ensue in the future. A well
done piece that raised the startling point that given the high speed of
debris in space, the actual size becomes irrelevant. The example best
shown was a chamber capable of speeding a small plastic pellet at a
fully armored mock-up of an Earth orbiting satellite....there was
nothing left but dust and the speed of the pellet was much less than
orbital speeds. Now figure that that satellites' fragments are thrown
out into orbit and they collide an so on. Soon, an inescapable sheild of
debris leaving us Earth locked. Scary thought and good food for thought.
Try to catch a rerun if you can, MANY great bolide videos.

--
Rob Wesel
--------------
We are the music makers...and we are the dreamers of the dreams.
Willy Wonka, 1971

Received on Thu 04 Apr 2002 02:48:35 AM PST