Surface Ripples

Space Junk – The Final Frontier?

I recently heard a news article on the BBC Global Podcast that there’s an increasing amount of ‘space junk’ flying around above earth.  Do we have a new ‘Final Frontier’?  What could it actually mean for us down on earth?

We may not realise how much we depend on ‘stuff in space’.  Weather information, new celestial bodies forming or old ones collapsing, increases in our knowledge about ‘what’s out there’, the GPS systems we use in our cars all depend on some kind of instrument orbiting earth ‘somewhere up there’.  We even have global space stations inhabited by humans carrying out various experiments for the benefit of mankind.

This stuff all has to be put in place ‘up there’ – usually by rockets launched from various points on the globe.  Occasionally, a ‘Space Shuttle’ has been used (although not for some time, except to re-supply the space stations with personnel, supplies and equipment).  

The result of sending stuff up (and more of it) is now upon us.  A lot of bits of metal hurtling around at tremendous speeds, all capable of inflicting damage on anything that gets in its way.  Some will just be ‘space litter’ – parts of previous rockets used to launch equipment that are still up there.   They don’t do anything, just like litter down here on earth.  In a worst-case scenario, their orbit may decay, and they fall back to earth, hopefully not landing in a built-up area.  Even then, the chances are higher that they will burn up in our atmosphere on re-entry.

Our problem is now, what to do with it all.  Some of it may, as mentioned above, simply be ‘junk’.  Other bits may be equipment that is no longer functioning or has been superseded by more modern equipment.  

The problem is cleaning it up.  It would mean either launching new vehicles capable of collecting and bringing back said space junk or destroying it so that it no longer poses any kind of threat or obstacle.  Could there be a market on eBay for ‘Used Space Junk’?  

I’ve spent more than half my life delivering change in different world markets from the most developed to “emerging” economies. With a wealth of international experience in international financial services around the world running different operations and lending businesses, I started my own Consultancy to provide solutions for improving performance, productivity and risk management.  I work with individuals, small businesses, charities, quoted companies and academic institutions across the world. An international speaker, trainer, author and fund-raiser, I can be contacted by email. My website  provides a full picture of my portfolio of services.  For strategic questions that you should be asking yourself, follow me at @wkm610.

Labels: Crisis Management, Leadership, Risk

posted by William Martin @ 08:38