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So our solution to polluting our planet is to pollute the space around our planet as well? What happens when those space shades get hit by micro meteorites cau

So our solution to polluting our planet is to pollute the space around our planet as well? What happens when those space shades get hit by micro meteorites causing them to alter or de orbit?

eloff 7y ago
That's not comparable types of pollution. If it's something we put there on purpose and provides us a benefit, I'd say even use of the word pollution is incorrect. I don't think there's a big micro meteorite problem at the Lagrange point, but if there were for arguments sake, then you need to plan for it and have a way to replace shades that get knocked out of position. It's not like the whole system would fail if you lose one shade. That's what engineering is about, planning for all the likely eventualities.
ceejayoz 7y ago
> What happens when those space shades get hit by micro meteorites causing them to alter or de orbit? "0.6-meter diameter and a thickness of about 5 micrometers. The mass of each disk would be about a gram..." Absolutely nothing.
throwawaysea 7y ago
I agree space pollution is a problem but I would imagine that these are thin enough that they would burn up in our atmosphere upon reentry if they de orbit onto earth.
- sithadmin 7y ago
  The issue isn't whether or not they'll eventually deorbit and disintegrate on re-entry -- that's a given. The issue is that while they're slowly approaching the Earth, they're a hazard to spacecraft. Slamming into even a gram of mass at orbital velocities could damage a spacecraft.
  - saiya-jin 7y ago
    L1 point is around 1,500,000 km from earth, they wouldn't be entering earth's atmosphere (unless we would want them to), interfering with any other satellites circling us or anything similar.
    - throwawaysea 7y ago
      I'm not an expert but I would think gravitational forces could move them towards other bodies like Earth?
blkhawk 7y ago
they would burn up in the atmosphere - they have not much mass individually

So our solution to polluting our planet is to pollute the space around our planet as well? What happens when those space shades get hit by micro meteorites causing them to alter or de orbit?

eloff 7y ago

That's not comparable types of pollution. If it's something we put there on purpose and provides us a benefit, I'd say even use of the word pollution is incorrect. I don't think there's a big micro meteorite problem at the Lagrange point, but if there were for arguments sake, then you need to plan for it and have a way to replace shades that get knocked out of position. It's not like the whole system would fail if you lose one shade. That's what engineering is about, planning for all the likely eventualities.

ceejayoz 7y ago

> What happens when those space shades get hit by micro meteorites causing them to alter or de orbit? "0.6-meter diameter and a thickness of about 5 micrometers. The mass of each disk would be about a gram..." Absolutely nothing.

throwawaysea 7y ago

I agree space pollution is a problem but I would imagine that these are thin enough that they would burn up in our atmosphere upon reentry if they de orbit onto earth.

sithadmin 7y ago
The issue isn't whether or not they'll eventually deorbit and disintegrate on re-entry -- that's a given. The issue is that while they're slowly approaching the Earth, they're a hazard to spacecraft. Slamming into even a gram of mass at orbital velocities could damage a spacecraft.
- saiya-jin 7y ago
  L1 point is around 1,500,000 km from earth, they wouldn't be entering earth's atmosphere (unless we would want them to), interfering with any other satellites circling us or anything similar.
  - throwawaysea 7y ago
    I'm not an expert but I would think gravitational forces could move them towards other bodies like Earth?

blkhawk 7y ago

they would burn up in the atmosphere - they have not much mass individually