and the orbits they tend to occupy mean that a piece of debris crashes relatively often. The issue is particularly stark when considered over time scales of a few years to a decade, the expected life of many satellites, and when factoring in spent rocket stages often left in orbit.
One approach analyzed satellites in orbits with perigees of up to 370 miles : some 651 rocket bodies that fit that criterion. These rocket bodies are orbital stages abandoned during the launch process that don't immediately fall back to Earth. Each of these rocket bodies has a certain orbital inclination, which is the amount the orbit is tilted relative to the equator.
These estimates are conservative, the authors say, because while some 1,500 rocket bodies made uncontrolled re-entries between 1992 and 2022, more and more rockets are being launched every year. But the OST guideline has not been invoked very often. A rare example was the 1977 reentry of a Soviet satellite that spread radioactive debris after re-entering over Canada, Boley noted. In response, the Canadian government billed the Soviet Union 6 million Canadian dollars, of which the Soviets paid half, although perhaps not because of any international argument.
Most of it would burn up on reentry. The real danger is space debris in orbit which I discuss in my latest short story. LinkInBio
Must be talking about a Russian missile.😁☮️
Here comes the spoomba.
Why not try reuse it?