Space debris almost postponed the last flight of shuttle Atlantis yesterday. Space junk is getting to be a real problem. A single small screw at orbital velocity can hit with the force of an RPG. While space is big, certain orbits are more useful than others, and that's where the bits and pieces tend to congregate:
Space debris ... is the collection of objects in orbit around Earth that were created by humans but no longer serve any useful purpose.These objects consist of everything from spent rocket stages and defunct satellites to explosion and collision fragments. The debris can include slag and dust from solid rocket motors, surface degradation products such as paint flakes, clusters of small needles, and objects released due to the impact of micrometeoroids ... Left: Space debris populations seen from outside geosynchronous orbit (GEO). Note the two primary debris fields, the ring of objects in GEO, and the cloud of objects in low earth orbit (LEO).
- Images and other musings on mighty Jupiter, where an amateur astronomer finds the rotund planet has lost one of its main belts. Maybe it's going to go with suspenders?
- Dr. Jeff Masters is at the AMS Conference on Hurricanes and Tropical Meteorology, the premier scientific conference on hurricanes. He notes data presented suggesting that tiny changes in insolation -- and presumably other forcing agents artificial or natural -- can have substantial effects on tropical cyclones.
- Lizards have withstood everything mother nature can throw at them for over 300 million years. But climate change may start doing in ancient lizards species this century.
- A tell-all book on Scientology is out. Change a few names, and the indignities described in the interview sound like the same ones forced on rank and file members by self-appointed zealots opportunistic fanatics from any number of faiths throughout history.
- Thanks to Joe Romm, Jed Lewison, and several expert sources who wish to remain anonymous, I have compiled a post of images of the BP oil spill and an article on the science behind methane hydrate that's screwing up the response effort.
- Lastly, I'm on Twitter here and I'd like to build up our science blogger and reader numbers. And, nothing firm, but the scuttlebutt is that familiarity with social apps like Twitter may serve Kossacks uniquely well in the near future.