Nineteen thousand pieces of space debris are orbiting the earth’s low orbit. This junk consists of things like spent rockets, solid fuel, nuts, bolts, tools, cameras, and lens caps—all hurtling around the world at about 17,000 mph. An encounter with one of these high-velocity pieces of debris could spell disaster for a communications satellite or [...]
Nineteen thousand pieces of space debris are orbiting the earth’s low orbit. This junk consists of things like spent rockets, solid fuel, nuts, bolts, tools, cameras, and lens caps—all hurtling around the world at about 17,000 mph. An encounter with one of these high-velocity pieces of debris could spell disaster for a communications satellite or [...]
Free-Floating Planets May Be More Common Than Stars (NASA RELEASE : 11-148 - May 18, 2011) WASHINGTON — Astronomers, including a NASA-funded team member, have discovered a new class of Jupiter-sized planets floating alone in the dark of space, away from the light of a star. The team believes these lone worlds probably were ejected from developing [...]
NASA Seeks Technologies For Testing During Reduced Gravity Flights (RELEASE : 09-023 Jan. 29, 2009) WASHINGTON — NASA is looking for new technologies that have potential use in future agency projects which could benefit from testing during flights on an airplane that simulates the weightless conditions of space. The technologies may improve air and space vehicle [...]
While space itself is infinite, the ideal orbits for satellites are not. Communications, weather and television satellites are typically placed in geostationary orbits above the equator, where they remain in one position over the earth. This band now contains hundreds of objects. Geostationary orbits are what allows a television satellite dish to remain in a [...]
In the 1950s, the world was a very different place. Radio and television signals could only be received by those who lived near the transmitters, and phone signals could only travel by wire. Weather reports were often unreliable. There were few sources of news or information. Then the Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, [...]
In February 2009, a major collision occurred between two communications satellites in the Earth’s orbit. The collision involved one American, Iridium 33 (owned by Iridium Satellite) and the other Russian, Kosmos 2251 (owned by the Russian Space Forces). Both satellites were destroyed upon impact, propelling hundreds of pieces of satellite wreckage into orbit. Even though [...]