Space junk: Orbital debris threatens future flight and Earth technology
Part of the legacy of the space age is its space junk, an ever-increasing number of “zombie” satellites and rings of debris in orbit.
Scott L. Hall, USA TODAY
Places flying at high speeds more than 320 miles above the Earth’s surface It is one of Earth’s newest satellites: Tool bag, if you know where to look, you might be able to find it with a telescope or a good pair of binoculars.
A white bag-like tool bag slipped off two astronauts On November 1, the crew was performing maintenance on the ship during a rare spacewalk involving all women. international space stationaccording to a social media post from X (formerly Twitter). scientist and other experts Be familiar with the situation.
It has not been officially announced whether the tool bag contained a 10mm socket wrench, but it was discovered by a Japanese astronaut last week floating above Mt. Fuji. Satoshi Furukawa. Now it’s space junk, but ever since. Cataloged by ID 58229/1998-067WC.
This is not the first tool bag lost in space. In November 2008, Endeavor astronaut Heide Marie Stephanie Singh lost his grip on a backpack-sized tool in his kit while cleaning up leaked grease from his gun. According to space.com.
The tool bag, valued at $100,000, took months to circumnavigate the globe. Until the fiery end After falling to Earth and collapsing. Experts believe the tool bag that went missing last week may suffer the same fate as it travels at breakneck speeds through an increasingly trash-filled upper atmosphere.
As of September, European Space Agency estimates An 11,000 ton space object is orbiting Earth. This includes up to 36,500 pieces of debris larger than 4 inches that could cause extensive damage if they hit a satellite or rocket.
How ISS astronauts used binoculars to find lost tool bags
Spotting a suitcase-sized tool bag traveling thousands of miles per hour through Earth’s thermosphere may sound impossible, but it’s far from impossible, according to avid skywatchers. It is said that there is no.
First, the bag catches and reflects the sun’s rays, making it shine at the limit of what the naked eye can see. According to EarthSky.orgThis means you should be able to find a tool bag with the right binoculars.
Under a clear, dark sky, the bag can be seen floating in front of the International Space Station. The International Space Station is her third brightest object in the night sky and looks like a fast-moving airplane. According to NASA.
Easy to find if you know where to look.
You can track ISS online. SpotTheStation.nasa.gov Or download the same app and apple or google play.
According to EarthSky, it follows the orbit of the ISS and scans the sky in the area immediately in front of the space station. As the height of the tool bag gradually decreases, it should appear 2-4 minutes before her on the ISS over the next few days.
John Tufts is a reporter for the Indianapolis Star, a member of the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at JTufts@Gannett.com.