Space Junk: The Growing Threat to Earth's Orbit

What event marked the beginning of the accumulation of space debris?

• The first moon landing

• The launch of the Hubble Space Telescope

• The first space shuttle mission

• The launch of Sputnik by the Soviet Union

What is one of the potential consequences of space debris colliding with old boosters?

• Formation of black holes

• Increase in Earth's gravity

• Creation of new satellites

• Explosions resulting in more debris

What was the result of the simulation involving an aluminum block and a small sphere?

• The block was shattered into pieces

• The block melted completely

• The block had a serious indentation and the rear face was detached

• The block remained intact

What is one of the guidelines in place to address space debris?

• Increasing the number of satellites launched

• Ignoring debris in low Earth orbit

• Prompt deorbiting of redundant satellites and boosters

• Building larger spacecraft

What is the concern of mission planners if debris mitigation measures are not followed?

• Certain altitude regions may become unsafe for orbit

• Satellites will become obsolete

• Space debris will disappear naturally

• Space travel will become cheaper