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Climate Change Is Even Wreaking Havoc On Satellites In Low-Earth Orbit
The ongoing climate crisis has been wreaking havoc on numerous aspects of our world, and a new study suggests that it’s also having a devastating impact on satellites in low-Earth orbit. The research, published in the journal Nature Sustainability, highlights the unexpected connection between climate change and the growing space debris problem.
According to the study, the contraction of Earth’s thermosphere due to greenhouse gas emissions is reducing the natural atmospheric drag that helps clear out space junk. As a result, the prolonged lifetimes of old satellites and other debris mean that they will litter sought-after regions for decades, increasing the risk of collisions in orbit.
In an email interview, William Parker, lead author and MIT doctoral candidate in aeronautics and astronautics, emphasized the gravity of the situation. “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions isn’t just good for the planet; it also helps ensure the long-term sustainability of space,” he noted.
The study simulated various greenhouse gas emissions scenarios over the next century to investigate impacts on atmospheric density and drag. The findings suggest that by the end of this century, the number of satellites safely accommodated within the altitudes of 200 to 1,000 km could be reduced by a staggering 50-66%.
The situation is already dire, with over 10,000 satellites currently drifting through low-Earth orbit. It’s a crowded and increasingly chaotic environment, as new satellite launches continue to outpace efforts to remove debris from space.
Furthermore, recent research suggests that the Kessler Syndrome threshold may have been surpassed in certain orbital altitudes. This means that even if no new satellites were launched into these altitude bands, debris levels would continue to rise as collisions generate more junk faster than atmospheric drag can clear it.
The study’s authors are urging immediate international cooperation to manage space traffic effectively and ensure the efficient use of low-Earth orbit. They emphasize that individual satellite operators and nations are rapidly expanding their operations without coordination, staking claims to different regions of space with little regard for long-term sustainability.
To mitigate this crisis, the US Federal Communications Commission has recently passed a rule requiring operators to deorbit spacecraft as soon as practicable and no more than five years after the end of their mission. However, much more needs to be done to prevent a Kessler meltdown.
Ultimately, addressing climate change is essential not only for the health of our planet but also for maintaining stability in space.
