Rain of debris is very common – Bolivia Review

THE NUMBER OF space junk orbiting the Earth is increasing.

More than 600,000 objects less than ten centimeters and 20,000 larger orbiting in space, are remnants satellites and rockets threatening space missions and weekly fall on Earth, but in 99.9 percent of cases disintegrate when entering the atmosphere.

Indeed, the strange It is what has happened in recent days in Alicante and Murcia (southeast Spain), where this week remains of space junk from a satellite or rocket were found.

The last one appeared ago few days in a farm field in Elda (Alicante). It was a metal part of four meters partially calcined length.

The object studied by experts in air navigation had metal edges damaged by impact with the ground and was found near Mula and Calasparra in Murcia, which in the last ten days have also been found more remains of space junk.

But to what extent this is normal rain scrap? and, above all, is it dangerous?.

Speaking to EFE, the CEO of Elecnor Deimos, Miguel Belló, explained that there are about 17,000 objects larger than ten centimeters orbiting the Earth.

Sooner or later, they all pass through the Earth’s atmosphere because “what you put in low orbit is slowed by the atmosphere until it falls. In fact, every week falling objects but almost all disintegrate, except that are made with refractory major nuclear material or links “

The monitoring is done of all these objects is intense.” We know roughly where they are going to fall, and when they will do, but never alert anyone because in 99.9 percent of cases disintegrate. In fact, what happened in Murcia is rare. Typically, the pieces of trash disintegrate on contact with the atmosphere ” explains the head of the company.

Elecnor Deimos Space is part of Survillance Tracking (SST), a program designed to locate and monitor the path of space debris and alert satellite operators and administrations public of the risks of a possible collision and re-entries of calls controladas’

Systems such as this make it possible ever recorded any accidents or wounded since there are satellites in orbit..

In fact, “there are more chances of getting struck by lightning to undergo a crash caused by space debris,” said Bello.

Those who, on the contrary, yes at risk are the astronauts and mission because “25,000 kilometers per hour, a particle of paint can kill pierces the suit because” although the greatest danger faced by satellites.

However, Belló insisted, “the risk of collision with Earth is very low. Only two precedents in history that could create problems, the fall in 1970 of part of a Cosmos rocket, loaded with nuclear energy, and one in the Andes, although in both cases fell in unpopulated areas, “he said.