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Why de-orbit? Why not use the same rockets to move it up into an orbit that doesn't degrade as quickly and doesn't need to be maintained at regular intervals.
by sathackr 9y ago
Why de-orbit? Why not use the same rockets to move it up into an orbit that doesn't degrade as quickly and doesn't need to be maintained at regular intervals.
A ton of money was spent launching and building it. Why not leave it for potential future use?
- theandrewbailey 9y agoIf no one's interested in it, it becomes space junk. It's a problem.[0] Don't make more. You need to responsibly dispose of space junk, and the easiest way is to incinerate it via atmospheric reentry. If it doesn't have a controlled de-orbit, it will have an uncontrolled de-orbit, potentially destroying something (or killing someone) when it reaches ground. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_debris https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_debris
- nickik 9y agoYou could boost it in a specific orbit leave it. That what happens with many satallites and is not consider space junk. Putting stuff on specific orbits is exactly how we fight space junk.
- lgats 9y agoKeeping it lower in earth's orbit exposes it to less solar radiation Not to say I wouldn't be on board with moving it up and keeping it around as a space museum