From ESA’s mission control in Darmstadt, Germany, spacecraft are flown in Earth orbit; taking the pulse of our unique planet, and across the Solar System; exploring our local environment and looking out to the universe beyond.
It is from here, too, that we keep watch over hazards in space – from solar flares to asteroids to space debris – working to mitigate these risks, keeping us, and the infrastructure we’ve come to rely on, safe.
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From ESA’s mission control in Darmstadt, Germany, spacecraft are flown in Earth orbit; taking the pulse of our unique planet, and across the Solar System; exploring our local environment and looking out to the universe beyond.
It is from here, too, that we keep watch over hazards in space – from solar flares to asteroids to space debris – working to mitigate these risks, keeping us, and the infrastructure we’ve come to rely on, safe.
ESA-UNOOSA on space debris: Falling to Earth takes a long time
ESA Explores Space Operations
15 minutes 58 seconds
4 years ago
ESA-UNOOSA on space debris: Falling to Earth takes a long time
Our planet's atmosphere gradually slows down satellites in orbit and brings them back down to Earth. However, depending on their altitude, this process can take an extremely long time. Had the dinosaurs launched a satellite into the furthest geostationary orbit, it would still be up there today. So, what do we do with spacecraft once they reach the end of their lives?
In episode 2 in our ESA-UN space debris series, Francesca Letizia and Xing-Yi Ang discuss the problem of slowly returning satellites, and what needs to be done to responsibly dispose of them at the end of their lives.
While you listen, check out the corresponding ESA-UN infographic that illustrates this topic.
ESA Explores Space Operations
From ESA’s mission control in Darmstadt, Germany, spacecraft are flown in Earth orbit; taking the pulse of our unique planet, and across the Solar System; exploring our local environment and looking out to the universe beyond.
It is from here, too, that we keep watch over hazards in space – from solar flares to asteroids to space debris – working to mitigate these risks, keeping us, and the infrastructure we’ve come to rely on, safe.
