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This is an unbelievably well done visualization. Really helps one understand the degree of problematic space junk, though I don't have much of an intuition for
by etrautmann 9y ago
This is an unbelievably well done visualization. Really helps one understand the degree of problematic space junk, though I don't have much of an intuition for collision probabilities.
- TheRealPomax 9y agoarbitrary motion collision is almost zero, the dots are several orders of magnitude larger than proper scale would be. But still "high enough to require taking into account when putting something else into orbit".
- strainer 9y agoThe odds of one object soon colliding with another object in particular are extreme, but this is a kind of 'birthday paradox' situation. I cant figure it out at hand, but one satellite out of thousands might end up with the same 'birthday' as another not too infrequently.
- bagels 9y agoCollisions really do happen, here is just one of a few that are known: http://celestrak.com/events/collision/ http://celestrak.com/events/collision/ There are probably more that are unknown amongst smaller objects.
- orbital-decay 9y agoKeep in mind that dot sizes are hugely exaggerated. Additionally, it's hard to see how the slow moving dots can collide, this visualization can only show the general sense of "how much stuff there is in orbit", which can be entirely misleading and doesn't reflect the real problem. To be helpful in understanding the problem, it should probably include collision probabilities and relative velocities involved. It will be immediately ovious that, for example, GEO is absolutely safe despite having quite a bunch of "dots", and the most dangerous place is 15 and 14 orbits per day Sun-syhchronous orbits, where the most remote sensing stuff lives.
- golergka 9y agoIsn't most junk in LEO going to burn in the atmosphere in a short time if left to it's own devices?