Perché e come ridurre la grande quantità di detriti spaziali

The increasing number of space objects in Earth’s low orbit poses a threat to the space environment long-term sustainability, raising the risk of collision between active satellites and space debris. This problem is now on the agenda on international tables, especially with the lattest episode regarding the Russian anti-satellite (ASAT) test occurred in November 2021, A Russian anti-satellite device destroyed a Russian satellite and created thousands of fragments, which are now travelling at high speed in Earth’s orbits and may cause future accident (adding to the multitude of already existing space debris). Other nations, including the United States (U.S.) and Russia itself, have conducted ASAT tests before. In 2007, a Chinese ASAT test targeting the Feng Yun-1C weather satellite generated more than 3400 tracked fragments. Another similar test was run by India in 2019, when the unexpected launch of the Indian anti-satellite missile sparked surprise (and some alarm) among international and aerospace-industry experts. The launch, "Mission Shakti," likely struck an Indian satellite in LEO, turning the object into debris and making of India the fourth country capable of destroying satellites of other countries, after the U.S., Russia and China. Another potential source of debris may be represented by accidental collisions between active satellites, as proven by the first-ever unintentional impact, occurred in 2009, which involved Iridium-33 and Cosmos-2251 and caused the dispersion of approximately 2300 fragments.