1 00:00:20,070 --> 00:00:23,580 HELLO EVERYONE, MY NAME IS MARTIN COLLINS I AM THE CURATOR AT THE 2 00:00:23,580 --> 00:00:26,730 NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM AND WELCOME TO AEROSPACE. 3 00:00:26,730 --> 00:00:31,430 FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE SPONSOR OF THIS PRESENTATION 4 00:00:31,430 --> 00:00:34,120 SERIES, THE FOLLOWING COMPANY. 5 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:38,340 AND TODAY WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT CLEANING UP SPACE. 6 00:00:38,340 --> 00:00:42,920 AND THAT CLEANING UP SPACE IS AN ISSUE OF DEALING WITH 7 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:46,780 DEBRIS, JUNK, AND OTHER STUFF THAT WE DON'T WANT TO BE UP 8 00:00:46,780 --> 00:00:48,300 THERE. 9 00:00:48,300 --> 00:00:52,300 WITH THE CONSIDERATION THAT IT MIGHT INTERFERE WITH ALL THE 10 00:00:52,300 --> 00:00:55,470 THINGS THAT WE DO WANT TO BE UP THERE AND WORKING ON OUR 11 00:00:55,470 --> 00:00:56,470 BEHALF. 12 00:00:56,470 --> 00:00:59,850 IF WE COULD HAVE THE FIRST SLIDE, PLEASE. 13 00:00:59,850 --> 00:01:03,750 I WANT TO SET UP THE CONTEXT OF THE STORY A LITTLE BIT. 14 00:01:03,750 --> 00:01:09,650 THIS IS AN IMAGE, AN ARTIST IMAGE OF A DEBRIS FIELD AROUND 15 00:01:09,650 --> 00:01:10,650 THE PLANET EARTH. 16 00:01:10,650 --> 00:01:14,789 OF COURSE AT THE VERY CENTER IS EARTH. 17 00:01:14,789 --> 00:01:18,490 AND YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THE DENSEST AMOUNT OF DEBRIS IS 18 00:01:18,490 --> 00:01:20,630 AROUND IMMEDIATELY AROUND THE PLANET. 19 00:01:20,630 --> 00:01:24,580 BUT THERE ARE RINGS A BIT THAT GO MUCH FARTHER OUT. 20 00:01:24,580 --> 00:01:28,720 AND WHY DOES THE DEBRIS FIELD LOOK LIKE THIS: WELL, ON THE 21 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:34,030 NEXT SLIDE WE WILL SEE HOW THE SATELLITES ARE DEPLOYED AROUND 22 00:01:34,030 --> 00:01:35,100 THE EARTH. 23 00:01:35,100 --> 00:01:38,420 AND THIS SCHEMATIC LET YOU UNDERSTAND WHY THAT DEBRIS 24 00:01:38,420 --> 00:01:41,210 FIELD HAS THE CONCENTRATIONS THAT IT DOES. 25 00:01:41,210 --> 00:01:44,540 THIS SPOT, LET'S SEE, FOR OUT HERE IF YOU LOOK AT THIS FOR 26 00:01:44,540 --> 00:01:48,751 PERIMETER LINE THAT WAS THE FARTHEST SET OF DEBRIS YOU CAN 27 00:01:48,751 --> 00:01:50,110 SEE AROUND THE EARTH. 28 00:01:50,110 --> 00:01:53,750 BUT THAT MORE INTENSE FIELD OF DEBRIS THAT YOU SAW AROUND THE 29 00:01:53,750 --> 00:01:55,900 EARTH, THIS WAS HERE. 30 00:01:55,900 --> 00:01:58,920 AND WHAT THAT REPRESENTS IS THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF SATELLITES 31 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:04,320 THAT WE HAVE AROUND THE PLANET EARTH AND HOW OVERTIME THEY 32 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,490 HAVE CREATED THIS DEBRIS FIELD THANK YOU SAUL FOR THE VERY 33 00:02:07,490 --> 00:02:09,489 FIRST GRAPHIC. 34 00:02:09,489 --> 00:02:11,380 NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. 35 00:02:11,380 --> 00:02:14,209 AND WHY DOES THE MUSEUM HAVE AN INTEREST IN THIS:AS A MUSEUM 36 00:02:14,209 --> 00:02:16,950 THAT TALKS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF SPACEFLIGHT WE HAVE LONG HAD 37 00:02:16,950 --> 00:02:22,060 THE AN ISSUE IN THE ISSUE OF DEBRIS OR SPACE JUNK AND THIS 38 00:02:22,060 --> 00:02:25,390 IS AN EXAMPLE FROM HIS SOVIET SATELLITE THAT WAS LAUNCHED IN 39 00:02:25,390 --> 00:02:34,549 1969, THIS DEBRIS FELL DOWN ON THE SOUTHWEST, AND IT WAS 40 00:02:34,549 --> 00:02:38,570 COLLECTED AS PART OF OUR COLLECTIONS HERE AT THE MUSEUM. 41 00:02:38,570 --> 00:02:40,770 WE HAVE OTHER ITEMS IN THE COLLECTION THAT ALSO, SORT OF 42 00:02:40,770 --> 00:02:42,130 SPEAK TO THIS QUESTION. 43 00:02:42,130 --> 00:02:45,169 I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU. 44 00:02:45,169 --> 00:02:49,730 TODAY OUR PRESENTATION WILL GO IN THREE PHASES. 45 00:02:49,730 --> 00:02:52,329 THERE WILL BE A QUESTION AND ANSWER WITH OUR GUEST SPEAKER 46 00:02:52,329 --> 00:02:54,989 WHO WILL I WILL INTRODUCE IN JUST A MOMENT. 47 00:02:54,989 --> 00:03:00,459 AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION BY HER WHICH WELL, 48 00:03:00,459 --> 00:03:04,510 SORT OF FOCUS ON THE HISTORY OF THE QUESTION OF DEBRIS. 49 00:03:04,510 --> 00:03:07,920 AND THEN WE WILL HAVE SOME BREAK FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 50 00:03:07,920 --> 00:03:10,370 IN BETWEEN WITH THE AUDIENCE. 51 00:03:10,370 --> 00:03:14,720 WITH OUR ONLINE AUDIENCE AS WELL AS THE NASA T.V. 52 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:15,720 AUDIENCE. 53 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:18,260 AND THEN WE WILL, SORT OF WRAP UP WITH THE QUESTION OF WHAT DO 54 00:03:18,260 --> 00:03:21,500 WE DO ABOUT THIS DEBRIS QUESTION AND ENTERTAIN FURTHER 55 00:03:21,500 --> 00:03:24,510 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FROM THE AUDIENCE. 56 00:03:24,510 --> 00:03:28,730 SO LET ME INTRODUCE LISA RAND, OUR SPEAKER TODAY. 57 00:03:28,730 --> 00:03:32,449 SHE IS A HISTORIAN PURSUING HER DOCTORATE DEGREE THE UNIVERSITY 58 00:03:32,449 --> 00:03:36,110 OF PENNSYLVANIA AND SHE IS ALSO A RESEARCH ASSOCIATE HERE AT 59 00:03:36,110 --> 00:03:37,110 THIS MISSONI AND INSTITUTION. 60 00:03:37,110 --> 00:03:38,110 WELCOME, LISA. 61 00:03:38,110 --> 00:03:40,979 >> GLAD TO BE HERE. 62 00:03:40,979 --> 00:03:44,200 >> LET'S START OFF WITH THAT BASIC QUESTION, WHAT IS SPACE 63 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:45,200 JUNK? 64 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:47,729 >>Lisa: I, THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION BUT I AM GOING TO 65 00:03:47,729 --> 00:03:48,729 AVOID ANSWERING IT. 66 00:03:48,729 --> 00:03:52,040 BECAUSE I WANT TO KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.ANY 67 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:53,040 OF YOU? 68 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:54,040 DON'T BE SHY? 69 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:58,600 JUNK IN SPACE. 70 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:00,310 >> OLD SATELLITES. 71 00:04:00,310 --> 00:04:09,790 >>Lisa: OLD SATELLITES, GREAT SAY AGAIN, MODELS, SO MODEL 72 00:04:09,790 --> 00:04:11,950 ROCKETS. 73 00:04:11,950 --> 00:04:15,600 THAT WOULD HAVE TO GET PRETTY HIGH TO GO ALL THE WAY IN SPACE 74 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:19,070 BUT YOU ARE THINKING IN THE RIGHT TRACK. 75 00:04:19,070 --> 00:04:22,669 SO WE HAVE JUNK IN SPACE, WE HAVE OLD SATELLITES. 76 00:04:22,669 --> 00:04:24,970 WE HAVE SOME ROCKETS. 77 00:04:24,970 --> 00:04:26,740 THOSE ALL COUNT AS SPACE JUNK. 78 00:04:26,740 --> 00:04:30,950 CAN YOU PASS ME THE CLICKER HERE: THANK YOU. 79 00:04:30,950 --> 00:04:35,560 SO WHAT IS SPACE JUNK? 80 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:40,530 IT IS CURRENTLY DEFINED BY BOTH NASA AND THE INTERAGENCY SPACE 81 00:04:40,530 --> 00:04:45,480 RECONNAISSANCE COMMITTEE AS ANY OPTION THAT HUMANS HAVE MADE 82 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:48,430 AND PUT INTO OUTER SPACE THAT IS EITHER IN SPACE CURRENTLY 83 00:04:48,430 --> 00:04:50,271 WORK GOES BACK TO EARTH, FALLING INTO THE ATMOSPHERE 84 00:04:50,271 --> 00:04:54,370 INTO THE EARTH THAT DOES NOT SERVE A DESIGNATED PURPOSE. 85 00:04:54,370 --> 00:04:58,160 WELL THAT PURPOSE IS OPEN TO SOME INTERPRETATION BUT THAT IS 86 00:04:58,160 --> 00:04:59,650 THE OFFICIAL DESIGNATION. 87 00:04:59,650 --> 00:05:03,380 SO EACH OF THOSE THREE ANSWERS YOU CAME FROM THE AUDIENCE, ALL 88 00:05:03,380 --> 00:05:07,140 FIT UNDER THAT DEFINITION. 89 00:05:07,140 --> 00:05:11,660 THERE ARE SOME IDEAS OF SOME SPACE JUNK THAT ARE CURRENTLY 90 00:05:11,660 --> 00:05:13,870 IN OUTER SPACE. 91 00:05:13,870 --> 00:05:16,290 DEAD SATELLITES, THAT IS A DOMINANT THREAT, THAT IS ONE 92 00:05:16,290 --> 00:05:19,431 SOURCE.ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS SOURCE OF SPACE 93 00:05:19,431 --> 00:05:21,600 DEBRIS IS PIECES OF ROCKETS. 94 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:25,510 SO ANYTHING WE PUT INTO ORBIT, ANY SATELLITE REQUIRES WE GET 95 00:05:25,510 --> 00:05:26,510 IT THERE. 96 00:05:26,510 --> 00:05:28,960 SO THE ROCKETS THAT WE SENT OF THEIR OFTEN HAVE STAGES AND 97 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,160 SOME OF THOSE STAGES REMAIN IN ORBIT. 98 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:34,620 PIECES THAT EITHER STILL HAVE FUEL IN THEM THAT CAN MAKE THEM 99 00:05:34,620 --> 00:05:40,200 DANGEROUS GOODS THEY COULD EXPLORE AND CREATE MORE DEBRIS. 100 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:44,630 OBJECTS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO PUT OUR SPACE INTO DEBRIS IS A 101 00:05:44,630 --> 00:05:45,630 SOURCE OF DEBRIS. 102 00:05:45,630 --> 00:05:48,140 AND THEN YOU HAVE VERY SMALL DEBRIS. 103 00:05:48,140 --> 00:05:51,570 THINGS LIKE MICROCHIPS OR SHED PARTS OF PAIN. 104 00:05:51,570 --> 00:05:57,490 OBSERVATION TELESCOPES, THERE ARE ALL TYPES OF DEBRIS THAT 105 00:05:57,490 --> 00:05:58,490 COULD BE UP THERE. 106 00:05:58,490 --> 00:06:01,110 AS LONG IS IT IS SOMETHING WE MADE AND IS NOT CURRENTLY 107 00:06:01,110 --> 00:06:04,900 FUNCTIONING IT IS SPACE DEBRIS. 108 00:06:04,900 --> 00:06:08,170 >> SO YOU CAN ALMOST ANSWER THE QUESTION FOR WHERE TO SPACE 109 00:06:08,170 --> 00:06:10,430 JUNK COME FROM? 110 00:06:10,430 --> 00:06:14,930 >>Lisa: IT CAN COME FROM OUR BASICALLY THE WAY TO THINK OF 111 00:06:14,930 --> 00:06:19,620 IT IS JUST LIKE ANY INDUSTRY ON EARTH, OUR SPACE INDUSTRY HAS 112 00:06:19,620 --> 00:06:20,660 WASTE BYPRODUCTS. 113 00:06:20,660 --> 00:06:25,710 SO IF YOU ARE THE SPACE INDUSTRY HAS ITS OWN FORM OF 114 00:06:25,710 --> 00:06:27,889 INDUSTRIAL WAYS BUT YOU DON'T HAVE SPACE TECHNOLOGY WITHOUT 115 00:06:27,889 --> 00:06:29,530 SPACE WEIGHTS. 116 00:06:29,530 --> 00:06:34,330 SO ANY OF THESE TYPES OF DEBRIS'S WE TALKED ABOUT IS ONE 117 00:06:34,330 --> 00:06:38,680 SOURCE, OR LAUNCHING SATELLITES, SATELLITES DIE, 118 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:39,810 THOSE ARE ALL FROM THE SPACE DEBRIS. 119 00:06:39,810 --> 00:06:45,780 BUT I THOUGHT OF MORE FUN IDEAS WHICH IS, FOR INSTANCE, 120 00:06:45,780 --> 00:06:49,139 ASTRONAUTS LITTER AND THEY CREATE SPACE DEBRIS. 121 00:06:49,139 --> 00:06:52,640 MOST FAMOUSLY AND WHITE IN HIS VERY FIRST SPACEWALK, THE VERY 122 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:57,400 FIRST SPACE FLIGHT, HE LOST AN EXTRA GLOVE AND WENT THROUGH 123 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:00,000 THE HATCH, AND ENTERED THE ORBIT. 124 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,170 FOR MANY YEARS. 125 00:07:02,170 --> 00:07:09,480 PEOPLE HAVE LOST WILL BE 06, CAMERAS, WE HAVE EVEN LEFT 126 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:11,020 GARBAGE BAGS ON THE MOON. 127 00:07:11,020 --> 00:07:13,680 THIS IS THE FIRST PHOTOGRAPH THAT NEIL ARMSTRONG TOOK ON HIS 128 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:18,380 FIRST MAJOR MOONWALK IN 1,969 AND THAT IMAGE, IN THE 129 00:07:18,380 --> 00:07:21,492 FOREGROUND, THAT'S BAD IS CALLED A JETTISONED BACK AND IT 130 00:07:21,492 --> 00:07:24,060 IS FULL OF GARBAGE THINK THE ASTRONAUTS DID NOT WANT TO TAKE 131 00:07:24,060 --> 00:07:25,300 BACK WITH THEM. 132 00:07:25,300 --> 00:07:27,940 IT WASN'T JUST ON THE SURFACE OF THE MOON THAT ASTRONAUTS BUT 133 00:07:27,940 --> 00:07:28,940 THESE. 134 00:07:28,940 --> 00:07:31,280 THEY ALSO LEFT THESE IN ORBIT. 135 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:35,669 SO IN APOLLO 16 THEY OPENED FOR A SPACEWALK OF THE THROUGH ONE 136 00:07:35,669 --> 00:07:37,819 OF THESE OUT AND SAID BUY, BUY BACK. 137 00:07:37,819 --> 00:07:42,271 AND IT IS SOMEWHERE IN SPACE BETWEEN US AND THE MOON, NOT 138 00:07:42,271 --> 00:07:43,940 SURE WHERE. 139 00:07:43,940 --> 00:07:49,300 SO, ONE OF THE BIGGEST SOURCES OF THE DEBRIS WE ARE WORRIED 140 00:07:49,300 --> 00:07:50,800 ABOUT, HOWEVER. 141 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:55,760 IS THINGS THAT EXPLOIT ON HER BED, FOR INSTANCE IN JANUARY A 142 00:07:55,760 --> 00:08:00,880 RUSSIAN ROCKET EXPLODED AT A PRETTY HIGH ORBIT AND THERE WAS 143 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:03,890 CONCERN ABOUT HOW THE DEBRIS CREATED THAT EXPLOSION MIGHT 144 00:08:03,890 --> 00:08:06,790 IMPACT SOME OF OUR MOST VALUABLE SATELLITES. 145 00:08:06,790 --> 00:08:09,610 SO AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THIS IS A CHART OF SOME OF THE BIGGEST 146 00:08:09,610 --> 00:08:12,650 DEBRIS CREATORS OVER THE SOURCE OF SPACE-AGE AND MOST OF THEM 147 00:08:12,650 --> 00:08:13,850 ARE ACCIDENTAL EXPLOSIONS. 148 00:08:13,850 --> 00:08:17,139 ONE FUEL IS STILL OUT THERE IT IS VOLATILE, IT COULD EXPLODE, 149 00:08:17,139 --> 00:08:19,949 WE CAN'T DO MUCH ABOUT IT. 150 00:08:19,949 --> 00:08:21,800 SOMETIMES WE GENERATE DEBRIS WHEN WE TRIED TO CLEAN UP 151 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:22,800 DEBRIS BUT FAILED. 152 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:27,639 IN 2,007 CHINA INTENDED TO BRING DOWN ONE OF ITS OWN 153 00:08:27,639 --> 00:08:30,760 WEATHER SATELLITES AND IN DOING SO CREATED ONE OF THE LARGEST 154 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:33,810 DEBRIS EVER CREATED IN ORBIT. 155 00:08:33,810 --> 00:08:37,089 AND THIS IS A SCHEMATIC OF THE PATTERNS OF THOSE DEBRIS THAT 156 00:08:37,089 --> 00:08:40,110 WAS CREATED FROM THAT PARTICULAR EVENT ABOUT A MONTH 157 00:08:40,110 --> 00:08:41,149 AFTER. 158 00:08:41,149 --> 00:08:42,860 SO THIS KIND OF DEBRIS SOMETIMES WE ARE TRYING TO DO 159 00:08:42,860 --> 00:08:45,570 THE RIGHT THING TO CLEAN UP BUT THAT CREATES MORE DEBRIS. 160 00:08:45,570 --> 00:08:49,130 KIND OF LIKE, SOMETIMES THE THINGS HAPPEN ON ECOSYSTEMS ON 161 00:08:49,130 --> 00:08:51,089 THE EARTH LETTERS THREATENED. 162 00:08:51,089 --> 00:08:52,749 THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES. 163 00:08:52,749 --> 00:08:56,450 >> WELL LET'S SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHY SPACE DEBRIS IS 164 00:08:56,450 --> 00:08:58,110 DANGEROUS. 165 00:08:58,110 --> 00:09:02,980 >>Lisa: WELL, THE FUNNY THING ABOUT SPACE DEBRIS IS IT IS 166 00:09:02,980 --> 00:09:04,230 MOVING VERY, VERY QUICKLY. 167 00:09:04,230 --> 00:09:09,770 DOESN'T MATTER HOW HIGH IT IS BUT OBJECTS THAT ARE AT VERY, 168 00:09:09,770 --> 00:09:10,770 VERY LOW ALTITUDES. 169 00:09:10,770 --> 00:09:15,250 THAT ARE ONLY A FEW HUNDRED KILOMETERS UP CAN MOVE UPWARDS 170 00:09:15,250 --> 00:09:18,620 OF 7-8 KILOMETERS PER SECOND. 171 00:09:18,620 --> 00:09:21,810 SO THE ANALOGY THAT NASA USES TO DESCRIBE HOW DESTRUCTIVE 172 00:09:21,810 --> 00:09:26,420 THAT IS THAT EVEN AN OBJECT HALF A CENTIMETER ACROSS 173 00:09:26,420 --> 00:09:31,240 TRAVELING AT SIX MILES PER HOUR CAN HIT WITH THE FORCE OF A 174 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:33,760 BOWLING BALL TRAVELING 600 MILES PER HOUR. 175 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:37,870 SO IMAGINE, COMING ACROSS SOMETHING TINY, THE SIZE OF A 176 00:09:37,870 --> 00:09:40,520 MARBLE CAN DESTROY A ENTIRE SATELLITE AT THE SPEED FOR THIS 177 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:44,390 IS OF DEBRIS STAT WHICH IS TO SHOW HOW PROJECTILES WOULD 178 00:09:44,390 --> 00:09:47,200 AFFECT THE STANDARD SATELLITE. 179 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:50,290 SO, THE THREAT IS VERY, VERY REAL. 180 00:09:50,290 --> 00:09:54,880 AND THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION MOVES ABOUT ONCE PER 181 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:57,260 YEAR OR SO TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF DEBRIS BECAUSE OF 182 00:09:57,260 --> 00:09:59,330 SOMETHING IS LARGE ENOUGH IT CAN REALLY DESTROY CASE 183 00:09:59,330 --> 00:10:01,140 FOOTBALL SIZE FIELD OF SPACECRAFT. 184 00:10:01,140 --> 00:10:06,740 RECENTLY SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN AN ASTRONAUT TAKE A 185 00:10:06,740 --> 00:10:10,890 PICTURE OF THIS SITTING IN THE WINDOW OF THE CUMULATE WHICH IS 186 00:10:10,890 --> 00:10:13,400 THE PLACE WHERE THEY TAKE THE AMAZING PHOTOS OF THE EARTH. 187 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:17,871 LUCKILY THIS CLASS IS 14 INCH THICK SO THEY ARE NOT IN 188 00:10:17,871 --> 00:10:18,890 DANGER. 189 00:10:18,890 --> 00:10:24,720 BUT NASA SAYS THIS PROBABLY HAPPENED FROM A FLIGHT OF 190 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:25,720 PAINT. 191 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:29,140 LOOK AT THIS IMAGE, WHAT LOOKS LIKE A GUNSHOT HOLE IN A WINDOW 192 00:10:29,140 --> 00:10:31,190 HAVE IT FROM A PLUCKO PAINT SOMETHING WE WOULDN'T THINK 193 00:10:31,190 --> 00:10:33,250 TWICE ABOUT HERE ON EARTH. 194 00:10:33,250 --> 00:10:36,390 THINGS MOVING THAT QUICKLY, EVEN TINY, TINY OBJECTS CAN 195 00:10:36,390 --> 00:10:38,540 PACK A BIG PUNCH. 196 00:10:38,540 --> 00:10:41,920 >> AND TO CONSIDER WISE THIS IS A PROBLEM. 197 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:47,260 THERE ARE OVER 1,000 USEFUL SATELLITES ORBITING AROUND THE 198 00:10:47,260 --> 00:10:50,550 EARTH, THAT VERY FIRST IMAGE I SHOWED YOU, SOME ARE VERY CLOSE 199 00:10:50,550 --> 00:10:51,550 TO THE EARTH. 200 00:10:51,550 --> 00:10:54,690 SOME ARE WHAT IS CALLED THE GEOSTATIONARY ORBIT ABOUT 201 00:10:54,690 --> 00:10:56,850 22,000 MILES AWAY. 202 00:10:56,850 --> 00:11:02,380 BUT ALL OF THAT SPACE HAS BOTH USEFUL THINGS IN IT AND THESE 203 00:11:02,380 --> 00:11:05,530 OBJECTS OF DEBRIS. 204 00:11:05,530 --> 00:11:10,210 SO OTHER ISSUES IN TERMS OF INSTANCES IN WHICH DEBRIS HAS 205 00:11:10,210 --> 00:11:12,410 IMPACTED OBJECTS. 206 00:11:12,410 --> 00:11:14,640 USEFUL OBJECTS IN ANY OF THESE OBJECTS. 207 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:18,360 >>Lisa: SURE, SO ONE OF THE MOST CATASTROPHIC INSTANCES 208 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:20,280 HAPPENED IN 20,09.. 209 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:23,540 AND I HAVE BEEN AT ANIMATION SHOWING. 210 00:11:23,540 --> 00:11:29,170 A FUNCTIONING RADIO SATELLITE COLLIDED HEAD ON WITH A DEFUNCT 211 00:11:29,170 --> 00:11:32,279 SOVIET ERA COSMO SATELLITE. 212 00:11:32,279 --> 00:11:36,820 AND JUST A HEAD ON COLLISION AND THEY BOTH SATELLITES WERE 213 00:11:36,820 --> 00:11:37,820 DESTROYED. 214 00:11:37,820 --> 00:11:42,399 AND THEY CREATED ANOTHER SET OF DEBRIS FIELDS LIKE THE CHINESE 215 00:11:42,399 --> 00:11:44,960 SATELLITE TEST FROM A FEW YEARS EARLIER. 216 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,970 THAT CURRENTLY THREATEN FUNCTIONING SATELLITES IN ORBIT 217 00:11:47,970 --> 00:11:58,610 FOR THAT IS ONE OF THE BIG ONES. 218 00:11:58,610 --> 00:12:02,300 THERE WAS AN INCIDENT IN 2012 WHEN THE FERMI GAMMA RAY 219 00:12:02,300 --> 00:12:08,570 SATELLITE WAS EXPECTED TO BE IN THE SAME PLACE AT THE SAME TIME 220 00:12:08,570 --> 00:12:10,500 AS A PIECE OF SPACE DEBRIS. 221 00:12:10,500 --> 00:12:14,470 AND IT'S OPERATORS MADE A VERY RISKY DECISION TO LIGHT UP THE 222 00:12:14,470 --> 00:12:16,990 INSTRUCTORS, MOVING AHEAD IN SPACE SO INSTEAD OF GOING LIKE 223 00:12:16,990 --> 00:12:21,899 THIS AND HITTING EACH OTHER FERMI WOULD PASS AHEAD SOONER 224 00:12:21,899 --> 00:12:25,000 SO IT WAS NOT ACTUALLY COME IN CONTACT WITH THIS DEBRIS. 225 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:29,209 SO IT WAS REALLY RISKY BECAUSE IT HADN'T BEEN USED BUT WITH 226 00:12:29,209 --> 00:12:33,260 TELEPATHY POSSIBLY OCCUPY THE SAME SPACE AT THE SAME TIME AS 227 00:12:33,260 --> 00:12:35,029 ANOTHER PIECE OF COMPETING SPACE JUNK. 228 00:12:35,029 --> 00:12:38,540 SO LUCKILY FERMI AVOIDED A CATASTROPHE WITH A PIECE OF 229 00:12:38,540 --> 00:12:44,860 SPACE JUNK HERE AT THE MUSEUM, AFTER THE TALKS IF YOU LOOK TO 230 00:12:44,860 --> 00:12:48,450 THE LEFT YOU CAN SEE OUR REPAIRING HUBBLE EXHIBIT. 231 00:12:48,450 --> 00:12:51,760 AND YOU CAN SEE THE SUBJECT RIGHT HERE, THIS ARTIFACT WHICH 232 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:57,020 IS THE RADIATOR COVER OF THE WILD CARE CAMERA OR WISI ii, IT 233 00:12:57,020 --> 00:13:00,510 LOOKS LIKE CREAM CHEESE FILLED WITH THOSE. 234 00:13:00,510 --> 00:13:03,300 THOSE HOLES ARE EXAGGERATED BECAUSE THEY ARE SAMPLED AFTER 235 00:13:03,300 --> 00:13:04,300 THE CAME BACK. 236 00:13:04,300 --> 00:13:09,610 WHEN THE HUBBLE REPAIR MISSION FROM THE ASTRONAUTS AND THE 237 00:13:09,610 --> 00:13:11,440 HOLDS WERE SAMPLED TO SEE WHAT MADE THEM. 238 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:16,110 WHETHER IT WAS HUMAN MADE, SPACE DEBRIS, OR 239 00:13:16,110 --> 00:13:17,140 MICROMETEORITES. 240 00:13:17,140 --> 00:13:21,490 SOME OF IT IS NATURAL, LIKE IN ENVIRONMENTAL BIRTH THERE ARE A 241 00:13:21,490 --> 00:13:24,640 MIX OF ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL. 242 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:29,640 AND SO YOU HAVE, WITH THIS WIDE-FIELD PLANETARY CAMERA 2 243 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:33,790 YOU HAVE A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE AN ARTIFACT THAT WAS 244 00:13:33,790 --> 00:13:36,520 EXPOSED TO THE SPACE ENVIRONMENT AND TO SEE THE 245 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:38,350 IMPACT THAT THAT KIND OF DEBRIS CAN HAVE FOR NOW IT DIDN'T 246 00:13:38,350 --> 00:13:42,430 AFFECT THE OPERATIONS OF THE TELESCOPE, THEY WERE FINE AND 247 00:13:42,430 --> 00:13:43,779 CONTINUES TO BE FINE. 248 00:13:43,779 --> 00:13:47,850 IT JUST KIND OF DEMONSTRATES THE KIND OF SMALL IMPACT, THAT 249 00:13:47,850 --> 00:13:51,410 SMALL KINDS OF DEBRIS COULD HAVE ON FUNCTIONING SATELLITES. 250 00:13:51,410 --> 00:13:55,740 >> SHALL WE TAKE A LITTLE BREAK IN OUR DISCUSSION HERE 251 00:13:55,740 --> 00:13:57,180 AND HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. 252 00:13:57,180 --> 00:14:01,481 EITHER FROM OUR AUDIENCE HERE OR FROM THE ONLINE VIEWERS: IS 253 00:14:01,481 --> 00:14:04,390 THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A QUESTION, IF YOU HAVE A 254 00:14:04,390 --> 00:14:07,300 QUESTION PLEASE COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE. 255 00:14:07,300 --> 00:14:21,250 >>Lisa: IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION YOU COULD JUST OKAY. 256 00:14:21,250 --> 00:14:24,970 >> THE ONLY QUESTION IS, DO THESE OBJECTS POSE ANY PROBLEMS 257 00:14:24,970 --> 00:14:27,120 TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION? 258 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:30,080 >>Lisa: THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. 259 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:33,170 AS YOU SAID EARLIER YOU SAW THAT DING ON THE WINDOW OF THE 260 00:14:33,170 --> 00:14:37,560 CUPULA WHICH IS NOT REALLY A THREAT TO THE ISS. 261 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:43,430 IT IS SHIELDED FROM DEBRIS AND IT HAS THE ABILITY TO MOVE IF 262 00:14:43,430 --> 00:14:46,310 IT IS PREDICTED THAT IT WILL COME IN CONTACT WITH A PIECE OF 263 00:14:46,310 --> 00:14:47,310 DEBRIS. 264 00:14:47,310 --> 00:14:50,649 WE ARE TRACKING LOTS AND LOTS OF DEBRIS AND I WILL GO INTO 265 00:14:50,649 --> 00:14:51,649 MORE DETAIL ON THAT LATER. 266 00:14:51,649 --> 00:14:55,490 BUT WE CAN OFTEN TIME ADDICT WHEN THE SPACE STATION IS 267 00:14:55,490 --> 00:14:59,300 APPROACHING DEBRIS.HOWEVER, SOMETIMES WE CAN'T AND WHEN IT 268 00:14:59,300 --> 00:15:02,890 IS HARD TO NOTICE, THE ASTRONAUTS WILL TAKE SHELTER IN 269 00:15:02,890 --> 00:15:05,209 THEIR MODULE. 270 00:15:05,209 --> 00:15:08,510 THAT IS BECAUSE OF THEY, THEIR LIVES COULD BE SAVED EVEN IF 271 00:15:08,510 --> 00:15:10,360 THE STRUCTURE ITSELF IS DAMAGED. 272 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:15,390 SO YES, DEBRIS THREATENS BUT THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS TO 273 00:15:15,390 --> 00:15:21,959 PREDICT THE STRUCTURE AND THE ASTRONAUTS. 274 00:15:21,959 --> 00:15:23,580 >> ANOTHER ONLINE QUESTION. 275 00:15:23,580 --> 00:15:25,860 WHAT COULD BE DONE TO CLEAN UP THE DEBRIS? 276 00:15:25,860 --> 00:15:29,400 >>Lisa: THANK YOU, BARBARA. 277 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:34,570 IF YOU STATE AND I WILL BE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE IDEAS 278 00:15:34,570 --> 00:15:38,680 THAT HAVE COME UP ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH DEBRIS BOTH REAL AND 279 00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:40,700 IMAGINED AND PLANNED. 280 00:15:40,700 --> 00:15:43,510 SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COULD BE 281 00:15:43,510 --> 00:15:44,510 DONE. 282 00:15:44,510 --> 00:15:47,050 ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON WE HAVE IS JUST TO STOP 283 00:15:47,050 --> 00:15:48,310 MAKING SO MUCH DEBRIS. 284 00:15:48,310 --> 00:15:54,230 SOME NEW SATELLITES CAN BE MADE, WITH EXTRA FUEL WHEN THE 285 00:15:54,230 --> 00:15:56,390 ROCKET IS DONE WATCHING THEM. 286 00:15:56,390 --> 00:15:58,780 OUR MOVE TO A SAFER ORBIT WHERE IT WILL BE THREATENING 287 00:15:58,780 --> 00:16:00,690 OTHER ORBITS. 288 00:16:00,690 --> 00:16:06,519 SO JUST LIKE WITH THE POLLUTING INDUSTRIES, JUST STOP CREATING 289 00:16:06,519 --> 00:16:07,620 SO MUCH. 290 00:16:07,620 --> 00:16:10,600 SOMETIMES THE ENVIRONMENT ITSELF CAN DO SOME OF THE WORK 291 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:11,600 FOR YOU. 292 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:15,070 IN OUTER SPACE, YOU CAN'T JUST AVOID THE IMAGINATIVE CITY IT 293 00:16:15,070 --> 00:16:19,660 IS A PHYSICAL ECOSYSTEM OF SORTS WITH EXCHANGING FORCES. 294 00:16:19,660 --> 00:16:25,860 AND EVEN MATERIALS, NATURALLY ROCKY OBJECTS, MAGNETISM, 295 00:16:25,860 --> 00:16:30,360 GRAVITY, AND THAT ALL IMPACTS OBJECTS THAT WE PUT UP THERE. 296 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:35,209 SO THE ORBIT HAS ITS OWN SELF-CLEANING MECHANISM WHERE 297 00:16:35,209 --> 00:16:37,860 IT TRACKS THINGS NOW THAT ARE TOO LOW IN ORBIT THAT ARE NO 298 00:16:37,860 --> 00:16:39,570 LONGER PUSHING FURTHER AND FURTHER. 299 00:16:39,570 --> 00:16:43,450 SO THE EARTH ITSELF ACTUALLY DOES SOME WORK TO REMOVE 300 00:16:43,450 --> 00:16:44,450 DEBRIS. 301 00:16:44,450 --> 00:16:45,450 IT IS PRETTY INCREDIBLE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT. 302 00:16:45,450 --> 00:16:51,070 FOR THIS ONE OF THE MOST THE BEST CLEANER OF POLLUTION BOTH 303 00:16:51,070 --> 00:16:53,459 ON EARTH AND IN OUTER SPACE. 304 00:16:53,459 --> 00:16:55,690 >> THAT POINT MIGHT BE ELABORATED. 305 00:16:55,690 --> 00:16:59,180 IF YOU RECALL THE TITLE OF THE PRESENTATION TODAY IS CLEANING 306 00:16:59,180 --> 00:17:00,180 UP SPACE. 307 00:17:00,180 --> 00:17:05,539 AND AS LISA JUST SUGGEST THIS IS NOT JUST AN ISSUE OF SPACE 308 00:17:05,539 --> 00:17:06,750 IN AND OF ITSELF. 309 00:17:06,750 --> 00:17:09,410 BUT SPACE IS PART OF OUR PERCEPTION OF WHAT THE EARTH'S 310 00:17:09,410 --> 00:17:11,220 ENVIRONMENT IS. 311 00:17:11,220 --> 00:17:14,500 SO WE TALK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND WHAT HAPPENS 312 00:17:14,500 --> 00:17:17,750 ON PLANT, WHAT HAPPENS ON WATER, WHAT HAPPENS IN THE AIR 313 00:17:17,750 --> 00:17:20,110 WE BREATHE, THEY TRAVEL THROUGH. 314 00:17:20,110 --> 00:17:24,010 SPACE ITSELF IS ALSO A CERTAIN PART OF THIS LARGER OF OUR 315 00:17:24,010 --> 00:17:25,870 RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ENVIRONMENT. 316 00:17:25,870 --> 00:17:30,059 >>Lisa: AND THIS IS SOMETHING AROUND THE SAME TIME WHEN WE 317 00:17:30,059 --> 00:17:34,230 FIRST STARTED PUTTING UP OUR SATELLITES IN SPACE SCIENTIFIC 318 00:17:34,230 --> 00:17:38,779 UNDERSTANDING OF EARTH'S PLACE IN THE COSMOS REALLY CHANGE. 319 00:17:38,779 --> 00:17:41,909 SUDDENLY WE USED TO THINK THAT EARTH WAS A PHYSICALLY ISOLATED 320 00:17:41,909 --> 00:17:42,909 SPACE. 321 00:17:42,909 --> 00:17:46,230 BUT WITH SATELLITES AND WE SUDDENLY REALIZE WE ARE PART OF 322 00:17:46,230 --> 00:17:50,690 AN INTERACTIVE, GIGANTIC SOLAR SYSTEM. 323 00:17:50,690 --> 00:17:53,460 THAT INFLUENCE THE PHYSICAL FLOWS OF THE EARTH. 324 00:17:53,460 --> 00:17:56,460 IT EXPANDS THOUSANDS OF THOUSANDS OF KILOMETERS. 325 00:17:56,460 --> 00:18:00,149 SO REALLY, THE IDEA OF OUTER SPACE IS A NATURAL ENVIRONMENT 326 00:18:00,149 --> 00:18:02,649 IS ONE THAT IS TOTALLY RELEVANT, WHEN WE HAVE BEEN 327 00:18:02,649 --> 00:18:06,179 THINKING ABOUT SINCE THE LATE 50s WHEN WE FIRST STARTED 328 00:18:06,179 --> 00:18:08,450 SETTING SATELLITES INTO SPACE. 329 00:18:08,450 --> 00:18:11,539 >> I THINK THAT IS A GREAT SEGUE INTO THE NEXT PART OF OUR 330 00:18:11,539 --> 00:18:15,409 PROGRAM HERE IN WHICH YOU TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THIS IDEA. 331 00:18:15,409 --> 00:18:17,889 >>Lisa: OKAY, GREAT. 332 00:18:17,889 --> 00:18:20,379 HERE WE GO. 333 00:18:20,379 --> 00:18:23,129 I AM GOING TO SHOW YOU THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT 334 00:18:23,129 --> 00:18:25,559 HOW LONG WE HAVE BEEN WORRIED ABOUT SPACE JUNK. 335 00:18:25,559 --> 00:18:28,690 IT IS A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN YOU MIGHT THINK. 336 00:18:28,690 --> 00:18:33,330 SO THIS IS AN ANIMATION THAT NASA PUT OUT SHOWING THE 337 00:18:33,330 --> 00:18:35,360 CURRENT DEBRIS ENVIRONMENT IN OUTER SPACE. 338 00:18:35,360 --> 00:18:39,059 RATHER THE CURRENT BODY OF HUMAN MADE OBJECTS IN OUTER 339 00:18:39,059 --> 00:18:40,059 SPACE. 340 00:18:40,059 --> 00:18:46,320 NASA'S STATES WE HAVE 1,100 OR SO FUNCTIONING SATELLITES. 341 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:50,299 THE REST OF ALL THIS IS DEBRIS, SPACE JUNK, THINGS THAT DON'T 342 00:18:50,299 --> 00:18:51,879 SERVE A PURPOSE. 343 00:18:51,879 --> 00:18:53,789 THAT WE DON'T HAVE A NEED FOR. 344 00:18:53,789 --> 00:18:59,169 SO AS OF APRIL, 2016, LAST MONTH THE ESTIMATED TOTAL 345 00:18:59,169 --> 00:19:02,600 OBJECTS LARGER THAN 10 CENTIMETERS WAS A LITTLE OVER 346 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:09,129 17,000 ALTHOUGH NASA VISITS CLOSER TO 21,000 TOTAL. 347 00:19:09,129 --> 00:19:12,770 AND THAT IS ONLY OBJECTS THAT ARE LARGER THAN 10 CENTIMETERS. 348 00:19:12,770 --> 00:19:14,020 THOSE ARE THE ONES WE CONTRACT. 349 00:19:14,020 --> 00:19:18,049 THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER STUFF UP THERE THAT IS MUCH 350 00:19:18,049 --> 00:19:19,049 SMALLER. 351 00:19:19,049 --> 00:19:21,419 SO I THAT ARE 1-10 CENTIMETERS THERE ARE 100,000, ESTIMATE. 352 00:19:21,419 --> 00:19:25,419 ESTIMATE REMEMBER BECAUSE WE CAN'T SEE THEM. 353 00:19:25,419 --> 00:19:29,160 SMALLER THAN A CENTIMETER ABOUT 100 MILLION AND EVEN THOSE 354 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:34,330 SMALL THINGS LIKE YOU TALK IN FACT A PUNCH. 355 00:19:34,330 --> 00:19:37,779 AS WE SAW EARLIER. 356 00:19:37,779 --> 00:19:39,929 SO, LET'S SEE HERE. 357 00:19:39,929 --> 00:19:41,200 HERE WE GO. 358 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:49,509 IN 2011 THE PROCEDURES FOR ORBITING THE ENVIRONMENT. 359 00:19:49,509 --> 00:19:57,149 IT WAS A BLEAK, THEY CONCLUDED WE ARE NOT EXACTLY PREPARED FOR 360 00:19:57,149 --> 00:19:58,580 A DEBRIS CRISIS IF IT SHOULD HAPPEN. 361 00:19:58,580 --> 00:20:01,429 I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW THE MOVIE "GRAVITY" WHEN IT CAME 362 00:20:01,429 --> 00:20:07,789 OUT IN 2013, NOW SOME HAVE SAID IT IS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE 363 00:20:07,789 --> 00:20:10,679 THAT SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN THE WAY IT HAPPENED, BUT WITH THAT 364 00:20:10,679 --> 00:20:14,159 SAID THE IDEA OF IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE. 365 00:20:14,159 --> 00:20:19,019 THAT AT ROOT WE COULD WANT THE GOOD COLLIDE TO ANOTHER THING 366 00:20:19,019 --> 00:20:21,799 IT COULD CREATE DEBRIS THAT AFFECTS OTHER THINGS THAT COULD 367 00:20:21,799 --> 00:20:25,859 CREATE A CASCADING COLLISION. 368 00:20:25,859 --> 00:20:29,549 WHICH IS THE TERM THAT WAS USED BY DONALD TEMPLER IN THE 1,928 369 00:20:29,549 --> 00:20:32,649 FICTION THAT AT THE END OF THE 20TH CENTURY WE CAN SEE OUR 370 00:20:32,649 --> 00:20:34,809 FIRST MAJOR COLLISIONS IN OUTER SPACE AND HE WAS RIGHT. 371 00:20:34,809 --> 00:20:38,690 WE ENDED UP STARTING TO SEE COLLISIONS AROUND THE TURN OF 372 00:20:38,690 --> 00:20:39,690 THE CENTURY. 373 00:20:39,690 --> 00:20:44,049 AND IN THIS NATURAL RESEARCH DOCUMENT IT CLAIMS IN THE 374 00:20:44,049 --> 00:20:46,149 INTRODUCTION THAT WE HAVE CROSSED THE TIPPING POINT. 375 00:20:46,149 --> 00:20:49,279 NOW FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE READ ABOUT OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL 376 00:20:49,279 --> 00:20:53,250 CRISIS, THAT IS A REALLY SCARY TRUMPET WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT 377 00:20:53,250 --> 00:20:56,190 WE HAVE CROSSED THE POINT OF NO RETURN.IF WE CROSSED THE 378 00:20:56,190 --> 00:20:59,889 TIPPING POINT, AND THEY HAVE ARGUED WE HAVE ALREADY CROSSED 379 00:20:59,889 --> 00:21:00,889 IT. 380 00:21:00,889 --> 00:21:05,059 NO MATTER WHAT WE DO THE FIRST ENVIRONMENT IS TOO CLUTTERED 381 00:21:05,059 --> 00:21:10,470 WITH LITTER TO FIX. 382 00:21:10,470 --> 00:21:21,570 SO THIS IS COMING UP. 383 00:21:21,570 --> 00:21:25,679 NOT SURE WHAT EXACTLY IS SUPPOSED TO BE UP HERE. 384 00:21:25,679 --> 00:21:29,820 ALL RIGHT, SO I WILL JUST WAIT UNTIL THIS NEXT THING COMES UP. 385 00:21:29,820 --> 00:21:41,840 SO, THE DO WE HAVE A NEXT SLIDE? 386 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:43,770 THE PROBLEM IS WE CAN'T SEE IT. 387 00:21:43,770 --> 00:21:45,899 THOSE WATCHING THIS ON NASA T.V. 388 00:21:45,899 --> 00:21:48,289 OR STREAMING ONLINE YOU CAN SEE THIS BUT HERE WE ARE 389 00:21:48,289 --> 00:21:49,840 HAVING A HARD TIME SO I AM GOING TO DESCRIBE IT FOR THOSE 390 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:54,710 WHO ARE HERE.WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT THAT IS THE IMAGE 391 00:21:54,710 --> 00:21:57,429 WE HAD UP THERE AT THE ANIMATION OF ALL THE DEBRIS, 392 00:21:57,429 --> 00:21:59,320 THAT IS A RECENT IMAGE. 393 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:01,450 BUT WE HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT SPACE DEBRIS FOR MUCH, MUCH 394 00:22:01,450 --> 00:22:02,899 LARGER. 395 00:22:02,899 --> 00:22:05,039 WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE IN THE AUDIENCE IS WHAT LOOKS LIKE A 396 00:22:05,039 --> 00:22:07,340 TINY LITTLE STAR IN THE NIGHT SKY. 397 00:22:07,340 --> 00:22:10,529 I SHOW THIS IMAGE FROM PHILADELPHIA WHERE I LIVE. 398 00:22:10,529 --> 00:22:13,009 IT IS OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION CROSSING 399 00:22:13,009 --> 00:22:14,009 OVERHEAD. 400 00:22:14,009 --> 00:22:17,500 IT IS CROSSING BETWEEN TWO WIRES, ELECTRICITY WIRES, AND 401 00:22:17,500 --> 00:22:20,660 IT IS VERY BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE IT IS A SHINING BRIGHT STAR. 402 00:22:20,660 --> 00:22:23,179 IT IS NOT FLASHING YOU KNOW IT IS NOT AN AIRPLANE. 403 00:22:23,179 --> 00:22:25,740 IT IS THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. 404 00:22:25,740 --> 00:22:30,799 ANYONE WHO ARE INTERESTED, IF YOU ARE DARTS FOR ME, IF YOU 405 00:22:30,799 --> 00:22:32,399 PUT IN YOUR ZIP CODE YOU COULD GET ALERTS FOR WHATEVER THE 406 00:22:32,399 --> 00:22:33,399 SPACE STATION CROSSES OVERHEAD. 407 00:22:33,399 --> 00:22:34,970 I THINK IT IS BEAUTIFUL. 408 00:22:34,970 --> 00:22:40,369 IN 1967 ONE NEWS BROKE THAT THE SOVIET UNION HAD LAUNCHED THE 409 00:22:40,369 --> 00:22:44,609 FIRST ARTIFICIAL MAN PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD RAN OUTSIDE TO 410 00:22:44,609 --> 00:22:47,340 SEE IF THEY COULD GET A GLIMPSE OF IT. 411 00:22:47,340 --> 00:22:50,370 THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE LOCAL PAPER SAYING IF YOU LOOK 412 00:22:50,370 --> 00:22:53,549 AT THIS PLACE AT THIS TIME AT DAWN OR DESK YOU CAN SEE THIS 413 00:22:53,549 --> 00:22:55,910 TINY MOVING STAR MOVING THROUGH THE STAR VERY MUCH LIKE THE 414 00:22:55,910 --> 00:23:00,869 IMAGE VIEWING AT HOME SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE. 415 00:23:00,869 --> 00:23:04,360 AND SO ABOUT FOUR PERCENT OF AMERICANS REPORTED SEEING IT 416 00:23:04,360 --> 00:23:05,360 FROM THE NAKED EYE. 417 00:23:05,360 --> 00:23:11,760 BUT IT WAS ONLY ABOUT THE SIZE OF A BEACH BALL, PRETTY SMALL. 418 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:14,519 EVEN THOUGH IT WAS POLISHED TO A BRIGHT SHINE NOT PICKING UP 419 00:23:14,519 --> 00:23:17,729 TO SEE WITH THE NAKED EYE WITHOUT ANY SORT OF 420 00:23:17,729 --> 00:23:18,729 APPOINTMENT. 421 00:23:18,729 --> 00:23:23,499 AND THE SOVIET ENGINEERS KNEW THIS AND SO THEY RIGGED UP PART 422 00:23:23,499 --> 00:23:27,070 OF THE ROCKET THAT SENT IT ALOFT INTO SPACE WITH PRISMS 423 00:23:27,070 --> 00:23:30,210 THAT WOULD CATCH EXTRA SUNLIGHT AND MAKE IT THAT MUCH MORE 424 00:23:30,210 --> 00:23:31,210 SUNNIER. 425 00:23:31,210 --> 00:23:35,070 THESE ARE NOT TO SCALE, BUT THE SIZE OF A BEACH BALL FOR THE 426 00:23:35,070 --> 00:23:39,399 CORE OF THE ROCKET WHICH THE CENTRAL AREA RIGHT HERE. 427 00:23:39,399 --> 00:23:43,840 ABOUT 20 METERS LONG, MUCH, MUCH BIGGER AND SHINIER.SO 428 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:45,379 WITH THOSE FOUR PERCENT OF AMERICANS REPORTED SEEING 429 00:23:45,379 --> 00:23:50,399 SPUTNIK THEY WERE NOT SEEING THAT ROUND OBJECT. 430 00:23:50,399 --> 00:23:53,690 THEY WERE SEEKING ARGUABLY THE FIRST PIECE OF SPACE JUNK. 431 00:23:53,690 --> 00:23:54,690 BUT DID IT MATTER? 432 00:23:54,690 --> 00:23:59,309 WHAT THEY WERE SEEING WAS THE RUSSIAN MOON, IT WAS STILL 433 00:23:59,309 --> 00:24:01,109 EVIDENCE THEY HAD GOTTEN THERE FIRST. 434 00:24:01,109 --> 00:24:05,399 SO THIS OBJECT, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS SPACE JUNK STILL START A 435 00:24:05,399 --> 00:24:06,399 PURPOSE. 436 00:24:06,399 --> 00:24:11,269 IT WAS STRIKING FEAR OR PRIDE DEPENDING ON YOUR POLITICAL 437 00:24:11,269 --> 00:24:12,269 AFFILIATION. 438 00:24:12,269 --> 00:24:17,289 SO THE VERY FIRST ENCOUNTER THAT MOST HUMAN KIND HAD WITH 439 00:24:17,289 --> 00:24:20,580 THE OUTERSPACE ENVIRONMENT WAS THE SPACE AGE WAS THROUGH SPACE 440 00:24:20,580 --> 00:24:21,899 JUNK. 441 00:24:21,899 --> 00:24:23,999 WE HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT FOR A WHILE. 442 00:24:23,999 --> 00:24:28,580 NASA, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS CHART, THE NUMBER OF OBJECTS 443 00:24:28,580 --> 00:24:30,270 HAVE GROWN EXPONENTIALLY. 444 00:24:30,270 --> 00:24:39,779 HERE IN 2007, AND IN 2009, THIS IS THE COLLISION I SPOKE ABOUT, 445 00:24:39,779 --> 00:24:44,240 THE MAJOR SPIKE IN THE NUMBER OF LITTLE OBJECTS IN ORBIT. 446 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:46,840 SO IT IS OBVIOUSLY GROWN QUITE A BIT. 447 00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:51,980 BUT EVEN IN THIS EARLY STAGE IN THE EARLY 1950S AND 60S, LOTS 448 00:24:51,980 --> 00:24:55,850 OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES WERE AWARE OF SPACE DEBRIS AND 449 00:24:55,850 --> 00:24:56,850 WORRIED ABOUT IT. 450 00:24:56,850 --> 00:24:59,360 HERE ARE SOME OF THE HEADLINES THAT CAME OUT IN THE EARLY 451 00:24:59,360 --> 00:25:03,830 1960'S IN RESPONSE TO PROJECT THE JOURNALIST IN EVERYDAY 452 00:25:03,830 --> 00:25:05,799 AMERICANS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT. 453 00:25:05,799 --> 00:25:08,809 THAT THEY THOUGHT WERE CREATING LITTER IN OUTER SPACE OVER 454 00:25:08,809 --> 00:25:11,320 CRATING THE SAME ENVIRONMENT OF PROBLEMS THAT WERE CAUSING ON 455 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:12,610 EARTH. 456 00:25:12,610 --> 00:25:15,840 AND ASTRONOMERS IN PARTICULAR WERE EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT 457 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:19,019 SPACE DEBRIS EARLY ON. 458 00:25:19,019 --> 00:25:21,419 SOME OF THEM THOUGHT THEY SHOULD ORGANIZE TOGETHER AND 459 00:25:21,419 --> 00:25:26,840 TRY TO BUILD A SPACE POLLUTION BOARD. 460 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:29,549 SPACE POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WEREN'T 461 00:25:29,549 --> 00:25:31,130 CREATING SO MUCH DEBRIS IN ORBIT. 462 00:25:31,130 --> 00:25:34,629 THEY WERE CONCERNED BECAUSE THEY'RE VIEWING FROM THE 463 00:25:34,629 --> 00:25:37,759 GROUND, IF THE ORBIT GETS TOO CLUTTERED WITH SHINY MATERIAL 464 00:25:37,759 --> 00:25:39,960 THEY CAN'T OBSERVE AS WELL AS THEY ONCE DID. 465 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:42,070 WERE ALSO ABOUT TO LAUNCH THEIR SPACE TELESCOPE AND THEY DIDN'T 466 00:25:42,070 --> 00:25:44,190 WANT ANYTHING COLLIDING WITH THEIR TELESCOPE. 467 00:25:44,190 --> 00:25:49,340 THEY TOOK THIS SO SERIOUSLY ONE COMPARED NOT ACTING ON THE 468 00:25:49,340 --> 00:25:52,450 CREATION OF SPACE DEBRIS IN THE EARLY 1960S TO THE PIECES OF 469 00:25:52,450 --> 00:25:54,419 HITLER IN WORLD WAR II. 470 00:25:54,419 --> 00:26:00,980 SO IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE IT SEEMED TO BE A PREDECESSOR TO 471 00:26:00,980 --> 00:26:04,390 THE ONLINE LOT THAT WAS ENOUGH COMMENTARY ON THE NAZIS BUT IT 472 00:26:04,390 --> 00:26:09,379 HAPPENED IN 1962 BETWEEN ASTRONOMERS. 473 00:26:09,379 --> 00:26:15,259 THE MINUTE WE GOT ACCESS TO SPACE WE STARTED DOING WHAT WE 474 00:26:15,259 --> 00:26:17,639 WOULD THINK IS QUESTIONABLE ACTIVITY. 475 00:26:17,639 --> 00:26:21,169 SO FROM 1968-1972, THE UNITED STATES AND SOVIET UNION 476 00:26:21,169 --> 00:26:29,059 EXPLODED, WE HAD SENSIBLE SCIENTIFIC REASONS BUT ALSO TO 477 00:26:29,059 --> 00:26:32,279 TEST MILITARY COUNTERMEASURES. 478 00:26:32,279 --> 00:26:39,580 EVENTUALLY WE HAD A FAN IN 1963 AND THESE BUT NOT WITHOUT FIRST 479 00:26:39,580 --> 00:26:43,159 LEARNING THAT A NUCLEAR WEAPON IN OUTER SPACE COULD BOTH 480 00:26:43,159 --> 00:26:47,250 DESTROY ACTIVE SATELLITES, THE SATELLITES WE USE EVERY DAY AND 481 00:26:47,250 --> 00:26:51,369 ALSO CHANGE THE ENVIRONMENT OF OUTERSPACE IN A WAY THAT COULD 482 00:26:51,369 --> 00:26:52,909 BE PRETTY CRUCIAL. 483 00:26:52,909 --> 00:26:55,629 AND I WILL TALK ABOUT THAT NOW. 484 00:26:55,629 --> 00:26:59,349 THAT THIS IMAGE RIGHT HERE, IT IS A SCHEMATIC FOR WHAT SEEMS 485 00:26:59,349 --> 00:27:02,940 TO BE KNOWN AS PROJECT WESTFORD, AND IT WAS LAUNCHED 486 00:27:02,940 --> 00:27:10,700 IN 1961 AND 1963, WHAT IT WAS WAS A FIELD OF 400 MILLION TINY 487 00:27:10,700 --> 00:27:15,169 COPPER FIBERS, YOU CAN SEE THEM HERE. 488 00:27:15,169 --> 00:27:18,289 BUT 400 MILLION OF THESE IN A RING AROUND THE EARTH:AND BE 489 00:27:18,289 --> 00:27:21,879 USED AS AN ARTIFICIAL IONIC SPIRIT. 490 00:27:21,879 --> 00:27:24,999 THE IONOSPHERE IS CRITICAL FOR LONG-DISTANCE RADIO 491 00:27:24,999 --> 00:27:26,359 COMMUNICATION. 492 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:30,269 SO THE REASON WESTFORD WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE, LET'S SAY, 493 00:27:30,269 --> 00:27:35,190 THE SOVIET HAD A SPACE NEW AND DESTROY THE IONOSPHERE AND MADE 494 00:27:35,190 --> 00:27:37,390 IT HARD TO COMMUNICATE, HARD TO COMMUNICATE WITH NUCLEAR 495 00:27:37,390 --> 00:27:42,250 ARSENALS THIS WOULD BE A CHEAP, EFFECTIVE BACKUP METHOD FOR AND 496 00:27:42,250 --> 00:27:47,899 IT HAD AN ARTIFACT FROM WESTFORD ON DISPLAY, IT IS AN 497 00:27:47,899 --> 00:27:51,389 UNASSUMING DISPLAY TO THE RIGHT REAR IF YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE 498 00:27:51,389 --> 00:27:55,210 SPACE SHUTTLE LOOK AT IT.LOOK AT ALL THE ZIPOLDS IN THAT 499 00:27:55,210 --> 00:27:56,210 CANISTER. 500 00:27:56,210 --> 00:28:03,809 THAT IS MY HAND FOR SCALE, IT IS ACTUALLY QUITE SMALL. 501 00:28:03,809 --> 00:28:08,849 SO THIS WAS SEEN AS AN IMPORTANT POSSIBILITY FOR 502 00:28:08,849 --> 00:28:11,029 MILITARY COMMUNICATION BACKUP. 503 00:28:11,029 --> 00:28:15,429 BUT ASTRONOMERS BEGAN FIGHTING THIS AND THE FIGHT WENT TO THE 504 00:28:15,429 --> 00:28:18,320 POPULAR PRESS AND THEN TO THE U.N. AND ENDED UP LEADING TO 505 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:21,249 SOME OF THE VERY FIRST INTERNATIONAL DISCUSSIONS. 506 00:28:21,249 --> 00:28:25,149 AND SAFEGUARDS PUT INTO PLACE TO COUNTERACT THE CREATION OF 507 00:28:25,149 --> 00:28:28,240 NEW DEBRIS. 508 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:32,289 THE OTHER HISTORY OF WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS TO THE FALLS BACK 509 00:28:32,289 --> 00:28:33,289 TO EARTH. 510 00:28:33,289 --> 00:28:35,929 WHEN I MENTIONED THE SPACE JUNK IT IS THE KIND THAT GOES UP AND 511 00:28:35,929 --> 00:28:36,929 THE KIND THAT COMES BACK DOWN. 512 00:28:36,929 --> 00:28:40,299 IF YOU THROW A BASEBALL WHAT GOES UP COMES BACK DOWN FOR 513 00:28:40,299 --> 00:28:44,830 SATELLITES AS WELL.OBJECTS THAT ARE IN LOWER ORBITS, DAYS 514 00:28:44,830 --> 00:28:46,009 OR WEEKS. 515 00:28:46,009 --> 00:28:48,479 IF THEY ARE IN HIGH ORBIT IT COULD TAKE DECADES, EVEN 516 00:28:48,479 --> 00:28:51,349 MILLENNIA BUT EVERYTHING WILL COME BACK DOWN EVENTUALLY. 517 00:28:51,349 --> 00:28:57,149 ONE OF THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL INCIDENTS ABOUT REENTERING 518 00:28:57,149 --> 00:29:01,299 SPACE DEBRIS HAPPENED IN CUBA AND 1963 WHEN A PIECE OF ROCKET 519 00:29:01,299 --> 00:29:09,919 FROM CAPE CANAVERAL FELL OVER A PROVINCE, AND STRUCK A COW FOR 520 00:29:09,919 --> 00:29:13,039 THIS IS RIGHT AFTER CASTRO CAME TO POWER IT WAS THE FIRST 521 00:29:13,039 --> 00:29:20,379 STUDENT LED PROTESTS, AND THEY SAID IF YOU MESS WITH OUR COWS 522 00:29:20,379 --> 00:29:22,219 YOU ANSWER WITH OUR POLLS. 523 00:29:22,219 --> 00:29:27,139 SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST REENTRY ISSUES, ONE OF THE 524 00:29:27,139 --> 00:29:30,159 FIRST OBJECTS TO FALL OVER AMERICA BECAUSE SPACE DEBRIS 525 00:29:30,159 --> 00:29:33,629 DOES OCCASIONALLY FALL OVER OUR SOVEREIGN LANDS. 526 00:29:33,629 --> 00:29:38,609 THAT WAS ˙ FOR THAT LANDED IN WISCONSIN AND EVERY YEAR THEY 527 00:29:38,609 --> 00:29:41,120 HAVE A SPUTNIK AS TO COMMEMORATE WHEN THIS HAPPENED 528 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:44,960 INCLUDING EVENTS IN A SPACE DEBRIS CONTEST. 529 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:46,679 WHICH IS VERY EXCITING AND I WILL BE THERE THIS YEAR AND 530 00:29:46,679 --> 00:29:49,649 VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. 531 00:29:49,649 --> 00:29:57,239 IN 1,978 A NUCLEAR GENERATOR POWERED SPACECRAFT RUN BY THE 532 00:29:57,239 --> 00:30:01,969 SOVIET UNION LOST CONTROL AND FELL AND LANDED OVER THE 533 00:30:01,969 --> 00:30:04,639 NORTHWEST TERRITORY OF CANADA. 534 00:30:04,639 --> 00:30:08,960 THE DEBRIS FIELD WAS VERY LARGE AND VERY RADIOACTIVE. 535 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:13,559 SO THIS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST, AND TO DATE ONLY IMPLICATIONS 536 00:30:13,559 --> 00:30:17,299 OF THE SO-CALLED LIABILITY TREATY MAINTAINED TO THE U.N. 537 00:30:17,299 --> 00:30:21,019 WHERE IN CANADA ATTEMPTED TO GET THE SOVIET UNION TO PAY FOR 538 00:30:21,019 --> 00:30:24,340 THE DAMAGES, PAY FOR THE CLEANUP AFTER WHICH TOOK 539 00:30:24,340 --> 00:30:27,489 MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO TRY TO CLEAN UP THIS SYSTEM. 540 00:30:27,489 --> 00:30:30,860 AND LUCKILY, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THE PARTICULATE MATTER 541 00:30:30,860 --> 00:30:37,019 SPREAD TO POPULATE AREAS, THE AREA WAS RETURNED TO A SAFE 542 00:30:37,019 --> 00:30:38,019 STATE OF NATURE. 543 00:30:38,019 --> 00:30:43,559 WHICH IS A VERY PUBLIC IDEA BUT THIS TURNS OUT THAT THIS VERY 544 00:30:43,559 --> 00:30:46,519 HARSH ENVIRONMENT WAS VERY GOOD FOR SYNCING SPACE DEBRIS IN A 545 00:30:46,519 --> 00:30:47,960 GOOD WAY. 546 00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:51,010 IT WORKED OUT WELL THAT IT WAS A LESS POPULATED AREA BUT THERE 547 00:30:51,010 --> 00:30:52,969 WERE STILL PEOPLE THERE, ESPECIALLY FOR STATION GROUPS 548 00:30:52,969 --> 00:30:56,859 THAT WERE THERE AND HUNTING ANIMALS AND FISHING AND WERE 549 00:30:56,859 --> 00:30:59,330 CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR BODILY INTEGRITY. 550 00:30:59,330 --> 00:31:02,729 INGESTING POSSIBLY THIS RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL. 551 00:31:02,729 --> 00:31:07,700 THE MOST FAMOUS SPACE JUNK REENTRY WAS SKYLAB AND 1979 552 00:31:07,700 --> 00:31:10,200 OVER WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 553 00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:12,029 AND BECAME A CELEBRITY IN ITS OWN RIGHT. 554 00:31:12,029 --> 00:31:18,159 IT WAS IN THE UNIVERSE PAGEANT IN 1969, AND THEY FAMOUSLY SUED 555 00:31:18,159 --> 00:31:21,299 NASA FOR LITTERING. 556 00:31:21,299 --> 00:31:23,450 ONLY A COUPLE OF HUNDRED DOLLARS AND WENT AND PAID UNTIL 557 00:31:23,450 --> 00:31:28,139 1979, INTEL A RADIO STATION PAID FOR IT. 558 00:31:28,139 --> 00:31:40,759 AND 1961 WHEN SPACE STATION MIR, AND TACO BELL TO GET 559 00:31:40,759 --> 00:31:46,309 INTERESTING GAMBIT AND PROMISED TO GIVE ONE TACO SHOULD THE 560 00:31:46,309 --> 00:31:50,769 MAIN BODY OF THE SUNLIGHT HIT A SMALL 40 BY 40 FOOT IN THE 561 00:31:50,769 --> 00:31:51,769 OCEAN. 562 00:31:51,769 --> 00:32:02,409 THEY DO GOT A HUGE INSURANCE POLICY BUT IT NEVER HAPPENED. 563 00:32:02,409 --> 00:32:13,149 THIS IS 90WWS, WE'RE STILL NOT SURE WHAT IT WAS BUT IT WAS A 564 00:32:13,149 --> 00:32:16,119 WEIRD ORBIT THAT WAS GOING CLOSE TO THE SUN AND CAME BACK 565 00:32:16,119 --> 00:32:17,119 TO EARTH. 566 00:32:17,119 --> 00:32:18,119 AND EVENTUALLY REENTERED. 567 00:32:18,119 --> 00:32:21,720 AND ON THE SAME DAY THAT MISSY ELLIOTT DROPPED HER SONG OF THE 568 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:25,690 SAME NAME WTS, SO I LIKE TO THINK THAT MISSY ELLIOTT LIKE 569 00:32:25,690 --> 00:32:28,589 AS SPACE NERDS, PUTTING IT OUT THERE. 570 00:32:28,589 --> 00:32:31,370 SO WHEN THIS OBJECT WE ENTERED THERE WAS SPECULATION, WHAT IF 571 00:32:31,370 --> 00:32:39,641 THIS IT'S LAND:IT TENDS TO BREAK UP IN OUR ATMOSPHERE, OUR 572 00:32:39,641 --> 00:32:42,999 ATMOSPHERE IS TERRIFIC. 573 00:32:42,999 --> 00:32:45,039 BECAUSE OF FRICTION AND PRESSURE ANYTHING THAT FALLS IS 574 00:32:45,039 --> 00:32:46,039 USUALLY GOING TO BREAK UP. 575 00:32:46,039 --> 00:32:49,180 IT IS THE TYPE OF SHIELDING THAT WILL BREAK UP AND MOSTLY 576 00:32:49,180 --> 00:32:51,090 DISSIPATE IN THE ATMOSPHERE. 577 00:32:51,090 --> 00:32:55,979 AT OBJECTS THAT ARE BIG, LIKE FOR INSTANCE MIR, OBJECTS WILL 578 00:32:55,979 --> 00:32:59,409 SURVIVE BUT THEY ALL INTO THE OCEANS OF COVER MOST OF THE 579 00:32:59,409 --> 00:33:00,409 PLANET. 580 00:33:00,409 --> 00:33:03,519 WITH THAT SAID THAT DOESN'T MEAN THESE THINGS DISAPPEAR IT 581 00:33:03,519 --> 00:33:07,950 JUST MEANS THAT THEY ARE NOT SIGNIFICANT IN THE WAY THAT WE 582 00:33:07,950 --> 00:33:08,950 BELLEVUE. 583 00:33:08,950 --> 00:33:09,950 THE WAY WE BELLEVUE THEM. 584 00:33:09,950 --> 00:33:14,389 THEY ARE NOT HARMING HUMAN LIFE.BUT FOR THE MOST PART 585 00:33:14,389 --> 00:33:18,320 BECAUSE OF SO MUCH OF THE PLANET IS STILL UNINHABITED. 586 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:20,749 WE ARE SAFE FOR MOST REENTRY SPACE DEBRIS. 587 00:33:20,749 --> 00:33:23,360 BUT OCCASIONALLY WE WILL SEE SOMETHING IS COMING BACK AND WE 588 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:24,509 DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT IS GOING TO LEAVE. 589 00:33:24,509 --> 00:33:28,249 THAT COULD BE SCARY FOR PEOPLE WHICH MAKES SENSE. 590 00:33:28,249 --> 00:33:34,009 MOST NEW SATELLITES ARE BEING EQUIPPED WITH THE POSSIBILITY 591 00:33:34,009 --> 00:33:39,779 OF BEING GUIDED BACK INTO THE ATMOSPHERE IN A CONTROLLED WAY. 592 00:33:39,779 --> 00:33:41,759 SO IT DOESN'T FALL WILLY-NILLY. 593 00:33:41,759 --> 00:33:43,350 BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OF THINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT CANNOT 594 00:33:43,350 --> 00:33:45,380 BE CONTROLLED THAT WE ARE WATCHING. 595 00:33:45,380 --> 00:33:48,679 WE CAN'T PREDICT WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO GO. 596 00:33:48,679 --> 00:33:53,739 THEY SOMETIMES CAN JUST SCARE US INTO REMEMBERING THEY ARE 597 00:33:53,739 --> 00:33:54,739 THERE. 598 00:33:54,739 --> 00:33:57,249 BECAUSE SO MUCH OF SPACE IS INVISIBLE TO US BUT WE DON'T 599 00:33:57,249 --> 00:34:01,119 THINK ABOUT ALL THE SATELLITES, AND INFRASTRUCTURE BY NATURE IS 600 00:34:01,119 --> 00:34:02,119 INVISIBLE. 601 00:34:02,119 --> 00:34:06,220 AND THEY ONLY BECOME VISIBLE WHEN THEY BECOME A THREAT TO 602 00:34:13,399 --> 00:34:07,220 US. 603 00:34:13,399 --> 00:34:17,169 SO THAT IS SOME OF THE HISTORY OF AND WHAT WE THOUGHT ABOUT 604 00:34:17,169 --> 00:34:19,220 SPACE DEBRIS OVER THE PAST HALF-CENTURY. 605 00:34:19,220 --> 00:34:23,191 AND GO TO A SHORT Q AND A. AND IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION PLEASE 606 00:34:23,191 --> 00:34:25,800 COME TO THE MICROPHONE SO EVERYONE CAN HEAR YOU. 607 00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:28,010 >> ARE FOR ONLINE FOR OUR ONLINE AUDIENCE. 608 00:34:28,010 --> 00:34:31,290 SPEED I HAVE GOT ONE FOR YOU. 609 00:34:31,290 --> 00:34:32,290 >>Lisa: GREAT. 610 00:34:32,290 --> 00:34:36,470 >>Audience: JUST WONDERING HOW THE TRACKING IS HAPPENING. 611 00:34:36,470 --> 00:34:38,659 IS THIS GROUND-BASED, SATELLITE-BASED, RADAR, HOW ARE 612 00:34:38,659 --> 00:34:40,550 WE KEEPING TRACK OF ALL THESE MOVING PIECES? 613 00:34:40,550 --> 00:34:43,160 >>Lisa: THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION I WILL SPEAK ABOUT IT 614 00:34:43,160 --> 00:34:44,160 MORE IN DEPTH. 615 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:46,910 BUT JUST TO ANSWER THAT EXCELLENT QUESTION.I AM GLAD 616 00:34:46,910 --> 00:34:51,669 WE ARE PROVOKING QUESTIONS I WOULD HOPE YOU WOULD ASK. 617 00:34:51,669 --> 00:34:56,460 AND THAT IS THAT WE, IN THE END SPACE THE DEPARTMENT OF 618 00:34:56,460 --> 00:35:09,020 DEFENSE, THE SATELLITES AND SPACE, NOTHING IS GOOD ENOUGH 619 00:35:09,020 --> 00:35:12,140 TO TRACK THAT SMALL DEBRIS ENVIRONMENT.AND WHAT IS GREAT 620 00:35:12,140 --> 00:35:14,770 ABOUT THAT IS IF YOU GO ONLINE I AM FORGETTING THE NAME OF THE 621 00:35:14,770 --> 00:35:15,770 PROGRAM. 622 00:35:15,770 --> 00:35:19,380 SPACE TRACK:YOU CAN GO ONLINE AND PUT IN THE NAME OF 623 00:35:19,380 --> 00:35:20,550 SOMETHING. 624 00:35:20,550 --> 00:35:22,760 AND SEE WHERE IT IS IN ORBIT IN REAL-TIME.I THINK THAT IS 625 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:23,760 FUN. 626 00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:26,010 I DO IT ALL THE TIME FOR WESTWARD, THE NEEDLES. 627 00:35:26,010 --> 00:35:28,990 SOME OF THEM CLUMPED TOGETHER AND THEY COME TOGETHER SO YOU 628 00:35:28,990 --> 00:35:29,990 CAN SEE THEM. 629 00:35:29,990 --> 00:35:33,240 THEY ARE PRETTY HIGH UP BUT IT IS A FUN THING TO DO. 630 00:35:33,240 --> 00:35:36,370 IF YOU ARE A NERD LIKE ME OR MISSY ELLIOTT YOU CAN GO ON 631 00:35:36,370 --> 00:35:39,170 THERE AND CHECK OUT WHAT THEY SEE. 632 00:35:39,170 --> 00:35:42,360 YOU CAN SEE FOR YOURSELF WHAT THE SPACE SURVEILLANCE SEES. 633 00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:45,970 >> ARE WE THE ONLY COUNTRIES THAT ARE DOING ANYTHING ABOUT 634 00:35:45,970 --> 00:35:47,250 THE SPACE JUNK? 635 00:35:47,250 --> 00:35:50,850 >>Lisa: NO, GREAT QUESTION. 636 00:35:50,850 --> 00:35:55,480 THE SPACE CLUB HAS GROWN QUITE A BIT FOR THE MAJORITY DO HAVE 637 00:35:55,480 --> 00:35:57,250 PROPERTIES IN OUTER SPACE NOW. 638 00:35:57,250 --> 00:36:00,620 AND THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT NATIONS FOR DIFFERENT 639 00:36:00,620 --> 00:36:04,820 COMPANIES THAT ARE WORKING ON COMING UP WITH WAYS TO REMOVE 640 00:36:04,820 --> 00:36:05,820 DEBRIS. 641 00:36:05,820 --> 00:36:07,930 UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE INTERNATIONAL 642 00:36:07,930 --> 00:36:10,320 BINDING TREATY ABOUT SPACE JUNK. 643 00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:12,640 WE HAVE A SERIES OF GUIDELINES, MOST HAVE A SERIES OF 644 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:18,550 GUIDELINES AND THEY ARE MEANT TO NOT CREATE MORE DEBRIS.BUT 645 00:36:18,550 --> 00:36:25,160 SO FAR, THERE IS NO RULES AND NO CONSEQUENCES FOR THOSE THAT 646 00:36:25,160 --> 00:36:26,160 VIOLATE. 647 00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:27,880 SO FOR INSTANCE, EVEN WITH THE MITIGATION GUIDELINES WE HAVE 648 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:30,770 IN PLACE IN AMERICA, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HAVE A 649 00:36:30,770 --> 00:36:34,550 CERTAIN NUMBER OF WAIVERS THEY CAN USE TO CREATE A NORMAL 650 00:36:34,550 --> 00:36:37,350 AMOUNT OF DEBRIS BECAUSE IT IS CRUCIAL TO THE NATIONAL DEFENSE 651 00:36:37,350 --> 00:36:40,480 THEY ARE ALLOWED TO DO THAT, THEY HAVE WAIVERS. 652 00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:45,460 EVEN THOSE GUIDELINES ARE NOT EXTREME, THEY ARE NOT 100 653 00:36:45,460 --> 00:36:47,870 PERCENT EFFECTIVE IN CREATING LESS DEBRIS. 654 00:36:47,870 --> 00:36:50,620 >>Audience: YOU SAID EARLIER THE ATMOSPHERE PRETTY MUH 655 00:36:50,620 --> 00:36:53,200 BLENDS ITSELF ANYWAY? 656 00:36:53,200 --> 00:36:58,660 >>Lisa: ESPECIALLY IN LOWER ORBITS. 657 00:36:58,660 --> 00:37:02,190 SO THE SUN IS ON AN 11 YEAR CYCLE WHERE IT SAYS THAT MORE 658 00:37:02,190 --> 00:37:03,210 ENERGY AND MAXIMUM. 659 00:37:03,210 --> 00:37:04,270 AND LESS ENERGY. 660 00:37:04,270 --> 00:37:07,840 IT IS SENDING OUT A LOT OF ENERGY THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE 661 00:37:07,840 --> 00:37:11,890 EXPANDS AND ALL THESE PARTICLES ARE IN SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE 662 00:37:11,890 --> 00:37:16,730 CONTROL ON IT, WE CAN'T BOOST TO A HIGHER ALTITUDE. 663 00:37:16,730 --> 00:37:20,420 THE OBJECTS WILL SUCCUMB TO FRICTION AND THAT EXPANDED 664 00:37:23,030 --> 00:37:21,420 ATMOSPHERE. 665 00:37:23,030 --> 00:37:26,780 >>Audience: THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN PLACE AS FAR AS 666 00:37:26,780 --> 00:37:28,240 OTHER THAN THAT. 667 00:37:28,240 --> 00:37:30,980 ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE SPACE JUNK? 668 00:37:30,980 --> 00:37:32,560 >>Lisa: WE DO. 669 00:37:32,560 --> 00:37:36,000 ESPECIALLY FOR SOME OF THE LARGER OBJECTS, I WILL SHOW YOU 670 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:37,770 WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO WITH SOME OF THE LARGER ARE PRETTY 671 00:37:37,770 --> 00:37:40,760 SUCH AS THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND THE HUBBLE I WILL 672 00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:42,320 GET TO THAT IN THE NEXT SECTION. 673 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:44,290 >>Audience: THANK YOU. 674 00:37:44,290 --> 00:37:51,570 >> AN ONLINE QUESTION, HOW IS NASA WORKING TO NOT CREATE 675 00:37:51,570 --> 00:37:56,230 SPACE JUNK TO WHAT IS ALREADY OUT THERE. 676 00:37:56,230 --> 00:38:01,420 >>Lisa: SO NASA HAS A SERIES OF GUIDELINES, BEST PRACTICES 677 00:38:01,420 --> 00:38:03,170 TO TRY TO REMOVE THE AMOUNT OF DEBRIS. 678 00:38:03,170 --> 00:38:10,260 AND REALLY, AGAIN, NASA IS NOT AS MUCH OF A PROBLEM AS THE 679 00:38:10,260 --> 00:38:11,920 NATIONAL DEFENSE. 680 00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:15,560 BECAUSE OF THE RULES. 681 00:38:15,560 --> 00:38:18,640 THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DOES HAVE THOSE WAIVERS. 682 00:38:18,640 --> 00:38:24,300 SO NASA IS TRYING TO FOLLOW SUCH PROCEDURES AS MAKING SURE 683 00:38:24,300 --> 00:38:28,200 THE ROCKETS ARE ENDED, ANY FUEL IS ENDED, THERE IS NOT A ROCKET 684 00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:30,420 BODY FLOATING OUT THERE THAT IS UNDER HIGH PRESSURE WITH 685 00:38:30,420 --> 00:38:33,980 VOLATILE FUEL THAT COULD EXPLODE AT ANY MOMENT. 686 00:38:33,980 --> 00:38:39,740 SO THERE ARE THOSE STEPS THAT NASA IS TAKING AND I WILL, AS I 687 00:38:39,740 --> 00:38:42,940 SAID ANSWER A QUESTION VERY MUCH LIKE THAT WAS US IN THE 688 00:38:42,940 --> 00:38:43,940 AUDIENCE. 689 00:38:43,940 --> 00:38:46,490 I WILL GO INTO MORE ABOUT THE CONCRETE ACTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN 690 00:38:46,490 --> 00:38:52,180 TAKEN TO PREVENT SOME OF OUR OLDER, POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS 691 00:38:52,180 --> 00:38:55,010 PROPERTIES FROM BECOMING, REENTERING SPACE TRACK AT THE 692 00:38:55,010 --> 00:39:00,720 END OF THEIR USEFUL LIVES.>> AND OTHER ONLINE QUESTION. 693 00:39:00,720 --> 00:39:04,600 HOW PROFITABLE MIGHT SPACE CLEANUP BE AS A BUSINESS 694 00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:05,600 VENTURE? 695 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:08,200 IS ANYONE WILLING TO PAY FOR SUCH SERVICES? 696 00:39:08,200 --> 00:39:11,880 >>Lisa: THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION, LAURA. 697 00:39:11,880 --> 00:39:14,950 THERE ARE A COUPLE OF STARTUPS WORKING ON THIS. 698 00:39:14,950 --> 00:39:16,450 I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THIS. 699 00:39:16,450 --> 00:39:20,600 THERE IS ONE IN ITALY I WAS LOOKING AT EARLIER TODAY THAT 700 00:39:20,600 --> 00:39:24,730 ARE ALL TRYING TO COME UP WITH SPACE DEBRIS REMOVAL 701 00:39:24,730 --> 00:39:28,770 TECHNOLOGY.NOW THAT SAID, IT IS A VERY LEGALLY TRICKY THING 702 00:39:28,770 --> 00:39:31,850 TO DO.AND I WILL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE. 703 00:39:31,850 --> 00:39:36,040 IF YOU ARE A STARTUP IN ITALY AND YOU HAVE TECHNOLOGY THAT 704 00:39:36,040 --> 00:39:39,120 TAKES UP SPACE DEBRIS, WHOSE SPACE DEBRIS ARE YOU TAKING 705 00:39:39,120 --> 00:39:40,120 DOWN? 706 00:39:40,120 --> 00:39:42,630 WHAT IF ITALY SPACE DEBRIS IS DANGEROUS TO WHAT WE CREATED? 707 00:39:42,630 --> 00:39:48,270 IF THEY GO UP THERE AND TAKE DOWN OUR SATELLITE BECAUSE THEY 708 00:39:48,270 --> 00:39:50,050 THINK IT IS JUNK THAT IS NOT GOOD. 709 00:39:50,050 --> 00:39:52,810 IT COULD BE SEEN AS AN ACT OF WAR. 710 00:39:52,810 --> 00:39:55,870 SO, INCORPORATED YOU. 711 00:39:55,870 --> 00:39:57,690 THERE ARE PRIVATE COMPANIES THAT ARE WORKING ON IT. 712 00:39:57,690 --> 00:40:02,640 ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS IS THAT MOST OF THE MAIN 713 00:40:02,640 --> 00:40:06,720 COMMERCIAL SPACEFLIGHT COMPANIES WE THINK OF DON'T 714 00:40:06,720 --> 00:40:10,450 SEEM TO BE AS CONCERNED ABOUT DEBRIS AS A RULE. 715 00:40:10,450 --> 00:40:13,990 SO I SEEM TO THINK OF THIS AS A FLEDGLING INDUSTRY AND SEE WHAT 716 00:40:13,990 --> 00:40:18,540 COMES OUT OF THE NEXT FEW YEARS AS FAR AS SPACE DEBRIS REMOVAL. 717 00:40:18,540 --> 00:40:23,640 I THINK THE FIRST PROTOTYPE, BY 2019 AND WE WILL SEE HOW THAT 718 00:40:23,640 --> 00:40:24,640 GOES. 719 00:40:24,640 --> 00:40:27,060 >> LET'S DO ONE MORE ONLINE QUESTION BUT WE HAVE ANOTHER 720 00:40:27,060 --> 00:40:28,430 ONE, WE ARE GOOD. 721 00:40:28,430 --> 00:40:32,900 WHY DON'T WE MOVE INTO THE LAST SECTION OF OUR PRESENTATION 722 00:40:32,900 --> 00:40:35,790 WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN A TOPIC OF THESE QUESTIONS, WHAT DO WE 723 00:40:35,790 --> 00:40:37,010 DO ABOUT SPACE DEBRIS? 724 00:40:37,010 --> 00:40:40,700 >>Lisa: I AM SO GLAD YOU WERE ASKING THESE ONLINE AND IN 725 00:40:40,700 --> 00:40:46,350 PERSON BECAUSE THAT MEANS WE ARE HAVING A CONVERSATION THAT 726 00:40:46,350 --> 00:40:56,390 HAS RELEVANCE ACROSS...SO HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT 727 00:40:56,390 --> 00:40:58,410 SPACE JUNK, HOW CAN WE SEE IT? 728 00:40:58,410 --> 00:41:01,930 I MENTIONED THE BASE DEBRIS RUN BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. 729 00:41:01,930 --> 00:41:08,080 AND THIS IS A SPACE ENDS OF A RADAR OF THE SOUTHWESTERN 730 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:11,370 UNITED STATES THAT WAS USED AS A RADAR DRAGNET. 731 00:41:11,370 --> 00:41:14,130 SETTING UP SIGNALS, ANYTHING THAT CROSSES HIS PATH YOU KNOW 732 00:41:14,130 --> 00:41:16,340 IT IS THERE. 733 00:41:16,340 --> 00:41:20,160 UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS ONE PART OF A PASTOR WORLDWIDE NETWORK 734 00:41:20,160 --> 00:41:21,440 DETECTION DEVICES. 735 00:41:21,440 --> 00:41:24,300 UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO SEQUESTRATION IT GOT CLOSED AND 736 00:41:24,300 --> 00:41:28,530 2013 AND WAS CLOSE DOWN INDEFINITELY. 737 00:41:28,530 --> 00:41:30,620 HOWEVER LOCKHEED IS BUILDING A NEW ONE, A NEXT GENERATION 738 00:41:30,620 --> 00:41:34,770 SPACE NET AND THAT WILL USE X-BAND RADAR THAT WILL DETECT 739 00:41:34,770 --> 00:41:37,510 SMALLER OBJECTS ACROSS THE OVERHEAD. 740 00:41:37,510 --> 00:41:40,560 THAT IS GOOD BUT WE ARE NEVER REALLY GOING TO SEE THIS REALLY 741 00:41:40,560 --> 00:41:41,660 SMALL OBJECTS. 742 00:41:41,660 --> 00:41:44,640 I CAN'T IMAGINE AS EVER HAVING THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO SEE 743 00:41:44,640 --> 00:41:49,230 THAT THEY ARE MOVING SO QUICKLY AND SO SMALL IT WILL BE REALLY 744 00:41:49,230 --> 00:41:53,240 IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE AND THEREFORE CONTROL THEM. 745 00:41:53,240 --> 00:41:58,830 SO, ONCE WE ARE ABLE TO SEE THE OBJECT TO SEE WHERE THEY ARE, 746 00:41:58,830 --> 00:42:01,470 PARTICULARLY WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO BE, WHAT ARE SOME OF 747 00:42:01,470 --> 00:42:03,350 THE WAYS WE COULD FIX THE PROBLEM? 748 00:42:03,350 --> 00:42:09,530 ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STEPS THAT MOST SPACE AGENCIES IS 749 00:42:09,530 --> 00:42:12,790 TAKING IS WHAT WE DISCUSSED BEFORE, WHICH IS MITIGATION. 750 00:42:12,790 --> 00:42:15,000 SLOWING THE CREATION OF NEW DEBRIS. 751 00:42:15,000 --> 00:42:18,290 PUTTING STUFF UP THERE TO MAKE THE PROBLEM WORSE AND TO REDUCE 752 00:42:18,290 --> 00:42:21,350 THE LIKELIHOOD OF ORBIT BREAKUPS. 753 00:42:21,350 --> 00:42:23,200 MAKE SURE THERE ARE NOT VOLATILE FUELS UNDER PRESSURE 754 00:42:23,200 --> 00:42:26,410 THAT COULD EXPLODE AND CREATE NEW FRAGMENTS. 755 00:42:26,410 --> 00:42:30,280 AND THIS REALLY MAKE SENSE AS A FIRST STEP. 756 00:42:30,280 --> 00:42:34,590 IT IS SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE REALLY ANY LEGAL 757 00:42:34,590 --> 00:42:36,580 COMPROMISES. 758 00:42:36,580 --> 00:42:38,980 IT HAPPENS AT THE POINT OF CREATION, AT THE POINT OF 759 00:42:38,980 --> 00:42:39,980 LAUNCH. 760 00:42:39,980 --> 00:42:43,020 YOU CAN HAVE SOME CONTROL OF MAKING SURE THAT SOME OF THE 761 00:42:43,020 --> 00:42:45,611 STEPS ARE TAKEN SO THESE OBJECTS AREN'T AS VOLATILE IN 762 00:42:45,611 --> 00:42:47,180 OUTER SPACE. 763 00:42:47,180 --> 00:42:49,950 THE TRICKIER FIX IS REMEDIATION. 764 00:42:49,950 --> 00:42:53,620 WHICH IS THE ACTIVE REMOVAL OF DEBRIS THAT IS CURRENTLY IN 765 00:42:53,620 --> 00:42:55,550 ORBIT. 766 00:42:55,550 --> 00:42:58,870 AND THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY ON THE LEFT FOR THE GENTLEMAN ON 767 00:42:58,870 --> 00:43:03,620 THE LEFT, THE QUESTION OF SOME OF THE METHODS OF REMOVAL ALL 768 00:43:03,620 --> 00:43:05,800 FALL INTO THAT ADR CATEGORY. 769 00:43:05,800 --> 00:43:09,820 AND THERE ARE QUITE A FEW THAT HAVE PROPOSED OVER THE YEARS. 770 00:43:09,820 --> 00:43:14,700 DIFFERENT ACTIVE DEBRIS REMOVAL IDEAS HAVE BEEN SWIRLING AROUND 771 00:43:14,700 --> 00:43:18,340 FOR DECADES.THEY RANGE FROM HARPOONS TO NETS AS YOU SEE 772 00:43:18,340 --> 00:43:23,980 HERE IN THIS ORBIT PROGRAM THAT IS BEING CREATED BY NASA. 773 00:43:23,980 --> 00:43:27,970 TWO THINGS LIKE SPACE LASER, A LASER ROOM. 774 00:43:27,970 --> 00:43:32,950 AS YOU CAN IMAGINE LASERS ARE KINDA SCARY. 775 00:43:32,950 --> 00:43:38,640 IF YOU SAW, YOU WILL BE UP TO SEE THIS, BUT THIS IMAGE HERE 776 00:43:38,640 --> 00:43:41,360 CAN YOU TELL IF THIS IS AN ACT OF WAR OR AN ACTIVE CLEANING? 777 00:43:41,360 --> 00:43:44,740 IT LOOKS LIKE AN ACT OF WAR TO BE IT LOOKS LIKE THE DEATH AND 778 00:43:44,740 --> 00:43:46,300 START SHOOTING. 779 00:43:46,300 --> 00:43:51,480 SO REALLY THE SHOOTING THINGS FROM THE GROUND, LIKE WITH THAT 780 00:43:51,480 --> 00:43:54,840 CHINESE SATELLITE TEST IN 2007 WHERE THEY DESTROY THAT OBJECT 781 00:43:54,840 --> 00:43:58,100 IT COULD BE TRICKY AND SEEN AS AGGRESSIVE. 782 00:43:58,100 --> 00:44:03,460 SO THIS IS ORIGINALLY A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT IS A GOOD IDEA 783 00:44:03,460 --> 00:44:07,230 FOR ACTIVE DEBRIS THAT COULD BE LEGALLY TRICKY. 784 00:44:07,230 --> 00:44:11,570 ONE OF MY FAVORITE POSSIBILITIES THAT CAME OUT, IS 785 00:44:11,570 --> 00:44:16,490 THIS IDEA OF USING GECKO GRIPPERS. 786 00:44:16,490 --> 00:44:19,690 GECKO'S EACH HAVE A VERY UNIQUE PROPERTY OF GRABBING AND 787 00:44:19,690 --> 00:44:20,690 RELEASING. 788 00:44:20,690 --> 00:44:25,610 IT IS VERY FASCINATING AND THESE GRIPPERS WORKED WELL IN 789 00:44:25,610 --> 00:44:26,830 DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS. 790 00:44:26,830 --> 00:44:32,500 SO THEY ARE THINKING THEY CAN RE-CREATE THE BEAT EXACTLY BUT 791 00:44:32,500 --> 00:44:35,250 AS YOU CAN SEE HERE IN THAT ANIMATED IMAGE. 792 00:44:35,250 --> 00:44:38,800 THAT IS ONE RESEARCHER ATTEMPTING TO GRASP ANOTHER 793 00:44:38,800 --> 00:44:43,450 RESEARCHER FROM A 250 POUNDS SATELLITE IN THE MICROGRAVITY 794 00:44:43,450 --> 00:44:47,440 SIMULATOR NOT AS A VOMITS COMMENTS. 795 00:44:47,440 --> 00:44:52,740 THEY ARE TESTING THIS GECKO GRIPPER IN AN ANTI- ENVIRONMENT 796 00:44:52,740 --> 00:45:00,680 LIKE AND WHICH IS WHERE THIS TECHNOLOGY WOULD BE USED. 797 00:45:00,680 --> 00:45:04,550 THE SWISS ARE CREATING SOMETHING CALLED A CLEAN SPACE 798 00:45:04,550 --> 00:45:05,550 ONE. 799 00:45:05,550 --> 00:45:08,200 I LOVE IT BECAUSE THIS WAS WHO ARE CLEANING UP AFTER 800 00:45:08,200 --> 00:45:09,200 THEMSELVES. 801 00:45:09,200 --> 00:45:16,510 SO THEY ARE PLANNING TO PICK UP THEIR OWN CUBE SETS, IN A KIND 802 00:45:16,510 --> 00:45:19,550 OF BASKET SHAPED SATELLITE. 803 00:45:19,550 --> 00:45:21,620 WHICH WILL THEN TRACK IT BACK INTO THE ATMOSPHERE TO BE 804 00:45:21,620 --> 00:45:22,620 DESTROYED. 805 00:45:22,620 --> 00:45:25,820 AND AGAIN, IT IS COMPLICATED. 806 00:45:25,820 --> 00:45:27,710 IN THIS THE SWISS ARE PICKING UP THEIR OWN OBJECTS. 807 00:45:27,710 --> 00:45:30,540 IT IS CLEAR IT IS THEIR OWN OBJECT THEY HAVE CLEARED 808 00:45:30,540 --> 00:45:32,760 SOMETHING THAT IS THEIR OWN SOVEREIGNTY OVER. 809 00:45:32,760 --> 00:45:36,080 BUT HOW EFFECTIVE WILL THAT BE OF CLEANING UP A DEBRIS PROJECT 810 00:45:36,080 --> 00:45:40,970 WHERE YOU HAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OBJECTS LAUNCHED 811 00:45:40,970 --> 00:45:44,510 BY MULTIPLE DIFFERENT ENTITIES AND STATES. 812 00:45:44,510 --> 00:45:47,100 IT IS NOT JUST ONE CUBE THAT IS THE PROBLEM. 813 00:45:47,100 --> 00:45:51,360 THEY ARE CLAIMING IT WILL BE LAUNCHED BY 2019 SO WE WILL SEE 814 00:45:51,360 --> 00:45:54,440 WHAT HAPPENS THEN. 815 00:45:54,440 --> 00:46:01,590 AS FAR AS MORE IMMEDIATE PLANS, MORE IMMEDIATE IDEAS. 816 00:46:01,590 --> 00:46:04,620 NASA AND SOME SPECIAL PARTNERS ARE COMING UP WITH PLANS OF HOW 817 00:46:04,620 --> 00:46:09,940 TO SAFELY DEORBIT OBJECTS LIKE THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE AT 818 00:46:09,940 --> 00:46:12,810 THE END OF ITS LIFE WHICH BREAK MY HEART A LITTLE BIT OF THE 819 00:46:12,810 --> 00:46:15,750 IDEA OF THE HUBBLE BEING DESTROYED. 820 00:46:15,750 --> 00:46:17,740 WHAT THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY DO IT CAREFULLY. 821 00:46:17,740 --> 00:46:20,430 THERE IS NO WAY OF BRINGING A BACKUP OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE IS 822 00:46:20,430 --> 00:46:23,580 OUT OF COMMISSION THOUGH IT WILL BECOME SPACE JUNK WAS A 823 00:46:23,580 --> 00:46:25,310 GHOST D ACTIVE. 824 00:46:25,310 --> 00:46:30,000 IN THE MOST RECENT 2009 IN THE FINAL REPAIR MISSION THE 825 00:46:30,000 --> 00:46:37,980 ASTRONAUTS INSTALLED THIS SOFT, THAT CAN BE CLASSIFIED, AND IT 826 00:46:37,980 --> 00:46:41,990 CAN COME DOWN IN A CONTROLLED AREA AND FALL DOWN TO THE OCEAN 827 00:46:41,990 --> 00:46:44,790 IN AN UNINHABITED AREA. 828 00:46:44,790 --> 00:46:48,590 SIMILARLY THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION WILL HAVE TO BE 829 00:46:48,590 --> 00:46:52,390 GUIDED BACK TO THE ATMOSPHERE AT THE END OF ITS LIFE. 830 00:46:52,390 --> 00:46:55,010 THAT IS THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD YOU DO NOT WANT IT AND 831 00:46:55,010 --> 00:46:58,380 LETTING OVER ANY LANDMASS OR WHERE PEOPLE MIGHT BE. 832 00:46:58,380 --> 00:47:03,260 A SYSTEM OF ADDING FUEL TO THE THRUSTERS AND ADDING ADDITIONAL 833 00:47:03,260 --> 00:47:05,900 SPACECRAFT TO GET BACK TO THE ATMOSPHERE IN A CONTROLLED 834 00:47:05,900 --> 00:47:08,360 FASHION AT THE END OF HIS LIFE. 835 00:47:08,360 --> 00:47:11,370 UNFORTUNATELY WE CAN'T SAY THESE ARTIFACTS AWAY WE SAY 836 00:47:11,370 --> 00:47:13,760 THAT WHITEFIELD PLANETARY CAMERA. 837 00:47:13,760 --> 00:47:17,140 YOU ARE ALL HERE AT THE HISTORY MUSEUM IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE 838 00:47:17,140 --> 00:47:20,070 THESE ARTIFACTS THAT HAVE MAJOR CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE BUT IN 839 00:47:20,070 --> 00:47:22,740 THE END THEY WILL ALL BECOME SPACE JUNK. 840 00:47:22,740 --> 00:47:30,180 SO THERE IS ONE OTHER FORM, AND OTHER FIX THAT DOESN'T FIT INTO 841 00:47:30,180 --> 00:47:33,990 THESE TWO CATEGORIES WHICH IS REUSE AND RECYCLING. 842 00:47:33,990 --> 00:47:41,030 SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED RECENTLY AT THE END OF 2015 ONE 843 00:47:41,030 --> 00:47:46,690 COMMERCIAL SPACE X AND BLUE ORIGIN LAUNCH ROCKETS AND THEN 844 00:47:46,690 --> 00:47:48,690 LANDED THEM VERTICALLY FOR REUSE. 845 00:47:48,690 --> 00:47:52,330 WHICH IS A BIG DEAL THAT HADN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE. 846 00:47:52,330 --> 00:47:56,050 AND THEIR IDEA IS THAT REUSE WILL CREATE LESS DEBRIS BUT BE 847 00:47:56,050 --> 00:48:03,260 MORE FINANCIALLY VIABLE.THE ONLY ISSUE WITH THAT IS THAT 848 00:48:03,260 --> 00:48:07,030 ROCKETS AREN'T THE ONLY THING THAT GENERATE DEBRIS. 849 00:48:07,030 --> 00:48:10,510 SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE TRIED TO GET TO A REUSABILITY 850 00:48:10,510 --> 00:48:14,170 PARADIGM IN THE 70s AND 80s WHEN THE SPACE SHUTTLE WAS 851 00:48:14,170 --> 00:48:18,600 FIRST BEING DESIGNED THEY WERE INTENDED TO BE A WAY OF 852 00:48:18,600 --> 00:48:21,370 SALVAGING, EVERY USING THE ARTIFACTS WE HAVE IN SPACE. 853 00:48:21,370 --> 00:48:25,160 SO INSTEAD OF SENDING OUT A BRAND-NEW SATELLITE THAT BREAKS 854 00:48:25,160 --> 00:48:28,420 YOU SEND UP ASTRONAUTS OR A ROBOTIC DOG AND PULL THAT 855 00:48:28,420 --> 00:48:31,360 SATELLITE BACK IN, YOU REFURBISH IT, SALVAGE WHAT YOU 856 00:48:31,360 --> 00:48:33,580 CAN THAT CAN'T BE REFURBISHED, YOU SEND IT BACK OUT AND BRING 857 00:48:33,580 --> 00:48:36,060 IT BACK TO EARTH AND REUSE IT. 858 00:48:36,060 --> 00:48:40,640 SO YOU DON'T HAVE THIS POPULATION OF DEAD SATELLITES. 859 00:48:40,640 --> 00:48:44,140 YOU WOULD ALSO NEED FEWER BECAUSE THEY ARE REUSABLE THERE 860 00:48:44,140 --> 00:48:46,300 WOULD BE FEWER ROCKET BODIES ROCKING AROUND. 861 00:48:46,300 --> 00:48:49,270 EVERYTHING WILL BE LAUNCH FROM THE SPACE STATION BUT 862 00:48:49,270 --> 00:48:52,230 EVERYTHING WOULD BE CHEAPER AND CLEANER FOR EVERYBODY. 863 00:48:52,230 --> 00:48:57,170 WITH THAT SAID, AS MANY OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW IF YOU HAVE BEEN 864 00:48:57,170 --> 00:49:01,130 AROUND THE EXHIBITS, THE SPACE SHUTTLES ARE VERY EXPENSIVE. 865 00:49:01,130 --> 00:49:03,580 LIKE ANY OTHER RECYCLING PROGRAM IF HE GETS TOO 866 00:49:03,580 --> 00:49:07,900 EXPENSIVE IT IS GOING TO GO. 867 00:49:07,900 --> 00:49:11,500 SO FOR INSTANCE IF CLASSES TOO EXPENSIVE IN YOUR AREA TO BE 868 00:49:11,500 --> 00:49:13,570 RECYCLED CHANCES ARE YOU DON'T HAVE A GLASS RECYCLING PROGRAM. 869 00:49:13,570 --> 00:49:14,900 THAT IS JUST THE WAY IT WORKS. 870 00:49:14,900 --> 00:49:19,380 AND EVENTUALLY THE SPACE SHUTTLE ONLY SERVICES A HANDFUL 871 00:49:19,380 --> 00:49:20,380 OF SATELLITES. 872 00:49:20,380 --> 00:49:23,910 FOR THE MOST PART WE WENT BACK TO LAUNCHING SINGLE USE 873 00:49:23,910 --> 00:49:28,610 SATELLITES AND SINGLE USE ROCKETS.AND THAT IS A VERY 874 00:49:28,610 --> 00:49:32,760 TRICKY PART OF THE RECYCLING IDEA. 875 00:49:32,760 --> 00:49:36,920 BUT IT IS ONE THAT DARPA IS TRYING TO WORK WITH. 876 00:49:36,920 --> 00:49:41,880 NOT JUST SENT OUT ROCKETS BUT HAVE SATELLITES THAT CAN GRAB 877 00:49:41,880 --> 00:49:49,640 NEW ROCKETS, AND REFUEL THEM, THESE AGILE ROCKETS ATTACHED TO 878 00:49:49,640 --> 00:49:53,560 AN EXPENSIVE TELESCOPE LENS THAT CAN COMPLETELY REUSE IT 879 00:49:53,560 --> 00:49:56,780 RATHER THAN GO TO WASTE IN ORBIT. 880 00:49:56,780 --> 00:50:00,110 SO THIS REUSABILITY IDEA IS COMING BACK INTO FASHION BUT WE 881 00:50:00,110 --> 00:50:01,110 WILL SEE. 882 00:50:01,110 --> 00:50:03,860 IT ALREADY HAPPENED BEFORE. 883 00:50:03,860 --> 00:50:08,300 SO WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS PARTICULAR NEW 884 00:50:08,300 --> 00:50:10,330 MOVEMENT TOWARDS REUSE IN OUTER SPACE. 885 00:50:10,330 --> 00:50:12,850 NOW WITH ALL THIS BEING SAID WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT NASA IS 886 00:50:12,850 --> 00:50:13,950 TRYING TO DO. 887 00:50:13,950 --> 00:50:15,941 WHAT THE PARTICULAR OF SPACE AND TRYING TO DO, WITH THE 888 00:50:15,941 --> 00:50:17,770 COMMERCIAL SPACE IS TRYING TO DO. 889 00:50:17,770 --> 00:50:21,880 WHAT CAN WE DO IN TERMS OF THINKING OF OUTER SPACE? 890 00:50:21,880 --> 00:50:24,110 WE THINK ABOUT ENVIRONMENTALISM, WE THINK 891 00:50:24,110 --> 00:50:27,800 ABOUT REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE THE 3R'S. 892 00:50:27,800 --> 00:50:31,510 THERE IS NOT A LOT WE CAN DO AS INDIVIDUALS FOR OUTER SPACE. 893 00:50:31,510 --> 00:50:33,890 WE'RE NOT THE ONE CREATING MITIGATION, WE ARE NOT 894 00:50:33,890 --> 00:50:38,440 DESIGNING ROCKETS, SO WHAT CAN WE DO? 895 00:50:38,440 --> 00:50:44,630 AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE SPACE ENVIRONMENT, THE 896 00:50:44,630 --> 00:50:47,680 ATMOSPHERIC HAS A SELF-CLEANING METHOD. 897 00:50:47,680 --> 00:50:50,170 AND THE ONE THING THAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT THAT ISN'T 898 00:50:50,170 --> 00:50:55,560 2012 A GROUP OF CHEMIST AND GEOSCIENCE CLAIM THAT HUMAN 899 00:50:55,560 --> 00:51:01,070 CLOSED CLIMATE CHANGE IS REDUCING THE EFFICIENCY OF THAT 900 00:51:01,070 --> 00:51:03,030 SELF-CLEANING METHOD. 901 00:51:03,030 --> 00:51:06,430 SO CLIMATE CHANGE IS CAUSING THE OUTER LAYERS OF THE 902 00:51:06,430 --> 00:51:09,810 ATMOSPHERE TO CONTRACT WHICH MEANS LESS OF OUR JUNK IS BEING 903 00:51:09,810 --> 00:51:12,170 DRAWN BACK INTO SPACE ON A REGULAR BASIS. 904 00:51:12,170 --> 00:51:14,330 SO WE HAVE A LARGER DEBRIS ENVIRONMENT AND WE WILL SEE A 905 00:51:14,330 --> 00:51:18,660 LARGER DEBRIS ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE. 906 00:51:18,660 --> 00:51:24,710 SO ONE THING YOU CAN DO TO HELP SUPPORT THE REDUCTION OF DEBRIS 907 00:51:24,710 --> 00:51:29,290 IS TO ELECT LAWMAKERS, TO SUPPORT LAWMAKERS TO FIGHT 908 00:51:29,290 --> 00:51:30,290 CLIMATE CHANGE. 909 00:51:30,290 --> 00:51:34,110 BECAUSE THAT IS NOT JUST AFFECTING OUR ECOSYSTEMS ON 910 00:51:34,110 --> 00:51:36,600 EARTH BUT IT IS AFFECTING OUR ECOSYSTEM IN OUTER SPACE WHICH 911 00:51:36,600 --> 00:51:38,210 IS KIND OF INCREDIBLE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT. 912 00:51:38,210 --> 00:51:41,730 THIS IS A GLOBAL NOMINAL, IT IS AN EXTRA GLOBAL PHENOMENON. 913 00:51:41,730 --> 00:51:45,580 THAT IS ONE THING WE CAN DO AS INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS TO HELP 914 00:51:45,580 --> 00:51:46,950 WITH THE DEBRIS PROBLEM. 915 00:51:46,950 --> 00:51:50,540 OF COURSE THERE IS THE QUESTION OF SHOULD WE EVEN FIX A PROBLEM 916 00:51:50,540 --> 00:51:54,470 OR SHOULD WE BE WORRIED? 917 00:51:54,470 --> 00:51:59,180 AS I MENTIONED, FIXING OR AT LEAST REMEDIATING DEBRIS CAN BE 918 00:51:59,180 --> 00:52:01,330 LEGALLY COMPLEX, YOU DON'T WANT IT TO SEEM LIKE IT IS AN ACT OF 919 00:52:01,330 --> 00:52:03,060 WAR. 920 00:52:03,060 --> 00:52:06,710 AND ONE GRAND STUDY CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT DEBRIS REMEDY 921 00:52:06,710 --> 00:52:10,110 ISN'T A MAJOR FOCUS AMONG MAJOR SPACE OPERATOR SO THAT THEY ARE 922 00:52:10,110 --> 00:52:11,980 NOT WORRIED ABOUT IT MAYBE WE SHOULD NOT, TOO. 923 00:52:11,980 --> 00:52:18,270 IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THAT MAYBE THERE IS MORE SPACE LEFT IN 924 00:52:18,270 --> 00:52:20,670 SPACE AND WE INITIALLY THOUGHT. 925 00:52:20,670 --> 00:52:23,420 SO DOES THE PROBLEM REALLY EXIST IS THE QUESTION. 926 00:52:23,420 --> 00:52:26,540 WHEN THE COSMOS COLLISION THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NO LOSS OF 927 00:52:26,540 --> 00:52:31,170 SERVICE.THEY HAD BACKUPS AND THERE WAS ONLY A SHORT BLIP IN 928 00:52:31,170 --> 00:52:35,730 SERVICE FOR THOSE WHO USED AND NO ONE WAS EVER THE WISER. 929 00:52:35,730 --> 00:52:41,800 AND THE COSMOS SATELLITE WAS DEFUNCT SO NOBODY WAS USING IT. 930 00:52:41,800 --> 00:52:46,630 HOWEVER, THAT SAID, I MEAN HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE USED A 931 00:52:46,630 --> 00:52:47,880 SATELLITE TODAY? 932 00:52:47,880 --> 00:52:52,960 ONLY SEEING A FEW HANDS BUT CHANCES ARE YOU ALL HAVE. 933 00:52:52,960 --> 00:52:56,060 BECAUSE SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY IS EVERYWHERE. 934 00:52:56,060 --> 00:52:58,760 WE DON'T SEE IT BECAUSE IT IS INFRASTRUCTURE BUT IF YOU USE 935 00:52:58,760 --> 00:53:00,830 YOUR CELL PHONE TODAY, NOT JUST A SMART PHONE BUT A DUMB PHONE 936 00:53:00,830 --> 00:53:01,830 TOO. 937 00:53:01,830 --> 00:53:06,271 CHECK THE WEATHER REPORT, GPS, ANYTHING WE USE SATELLITES FOR. 938 00:53:06,271 --> 00:53:11,440 SO ALTHOUGH THERE IS STILL A LOT OF SPACE IN OUTER SPACE IT 939 00:53:11,440 --> 00:53:13,960 IS SOMETHING HAPPENS IN GRAVITY IF A BOTTLER SATELLITES. 940 00:53:13,960 --> 00:53:15,640 QUICKLY WE WOULD KNOW. 941 00:53:15,640 --> 00:53:19,270 WE WOULDN'T SEE ANYTHING THE WORLD WOULD LOOK THE SAME TO 942 00:53:19,270 --> 00:53:20,270 US. 943 00:53:20,270 --> 00:53:24,690 THE FINANCIAL SECTOR, THE COMMUNICATIONS, EVEN ATMS, 944 00:53:24,690 --> 00:53:29,140 TRAVELS, COMMERCE, BASICALLY GLOBALISM AS WE KNOW IT WOULD 945 00:53:29,140 --> 00:53:31,270 BE CHANGED IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE. 946 00:53:31,270 --> 00:53:33,340 IT IS SOMETHING WE WOULDN'T SEE BUT SOMETHING WE WOULD 947 00:53:33,340 --> 00:53:37,420 EXPERIENCE AND FEEL IN OUR DAILY LIVES.THANK YOU. 948 00:53:37,420 --> 00:53:41,800 >> WE ARE GETTING TO THE VERY LAST PART OF OUR PROGRAM. 949 00:53:41,800 --> 00:53:47,180 AND ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A FEW MORE ONLINE QUESTIONS. 950 00:53:47,180 --> 00:53:59,150 THERE WE GO, IS THERE DEBRIS SUCH AS THE NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS 951 00:53:59,150 --> 00:54:03,100 THAT AFFECT THE CHEMICAL QUALITY OF SPACE AND DOES IT 952 00:54:03,100 --> 00:54:04,100 MATTER? 953 00:54:04,100 --> 00:54:07,200 FROM TODD.>>Lisa: THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. 954 00:54:07,200 --> 00:54:10,000 WHEN THE NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS OF HAPPEN ANYMORE, THOSE ARE OVER. 955 00:54:10,000 --> 00:54:14,860 BUT THERE WAS A MAJOR, MAJOR EXPLOSION IN 1962 CALLED 956 00:54:14,860 --> 00:54:19,880 STARFISH CRIME THAT CREATED AND HOLD NEW ARTIFICIAL RADIATION 957 00:54:19,880 --> 00:54:23,390 BAND ON THE BELT. 958 00:54:23,390 --> 00:54:25,700 AND IT CHANGE THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION. 959 00:54:25,700 --> 00:54:29,640 THERE WAS BIOMATERIAL THAT WAS ALL OVER THE UPPER LAYERS OF 960 00:54:29,640 --> 00:54:30,770 THE ATMOSPHERE. 961 00:54:30,770 --> 00:54:34,100 IT DID EVENTUALLY DISSIPATE BUT IT DID CREATE AN ARTIFICIAL 962 00:54:34,100 --> 00:54:37,820 RADIATION BELT THAT EITHER TEMPORARILY DISABLED OR 963 00:54:37,820 --> 00:54:40,540 DESTROYED SEVERAL OF OUR FUNCTIONING SATELLITES AND 964 00:54:40,540 --> 00:54:43,740 OUTER SPACE WHICH ONE OF THEM WAS HEALTH STAR A VENERABLE. 965 00:54:43,740 --> 00:54:55,050 THAT EVENTUALLY WENT INTO THE COMMISSION. 966 00:54:55,050 --> 00:55:01,240 THE ELECTROMAGNETIC STABILITY OF THE REGION, THEY DON'T 967 00:55:01,240 --> 00:55:02,240 HAPPEN ANYMORE. 968 00:55:02,240 --> 00:55:04,550 THEY ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BECAUSE WE HAVE A TREATY BUT 969 00:55:04,550 --> 00:55:07,380 THEY DEFINITELY HAVE A MAJOR, ESPECIALLY THE LAST ONE 970 00:55:07,380 --> 00:55:12,820 STARFISH CRIME HAD A IMPACT ON SPACE. 971 00:55:12,820 --> 00:55:17,530 IT DOES CONTINUE TO HAPPEN WE WOULD NO LONGER BE ABLE TO USE 972 00:55:17,530 --> 00:55:21,890 SATELLITES IN HISTORY WILL BE VERY DIFFERENT. 973 00:55:21,890 --> 00:55:25,200 >> I BELIEVE WE HAVE ANOTHER ONLINE QUESTION. 974 00:55:25,200 --> 00:55:28,790 HOW CAN WE EXPLORE OTHER PLANETS WITHOUT LEAVING A TRAIL 975 00:55:28,790 --> 00:55:29,790 OF SPACE JUNK? 976 00:55:29,790 --> 00:55:30,790 BY LAURA. 977 00:55:30,790 --> 00:55:33,030 >>Lisa: THAT IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION. 978 00:55:33,030 --> 00:55:36,650 WE BASICALLY ARE LEAVING A TRAIL OF SPACE JUNK. 979 00:55:36,650 --> 00:55:37,650 WE HAVE TO. 980 00:55:37,650 --> 00:55:41,840 EXPLORING THE MOON, EXPLORING MARS, WE HAVE ARTIFACTS THAT 981 00:55:41,840 --> 00:55:43,210 ARE NOT FUNCTIONING THEY ARE JUST THERE. 982 00:55:43,210 --> 00:55:47,770 THERE IS REALLY NO WAY TO. 983 00:55:47,770 --> 00:55:50,740 IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT WE ARE LEAVING A TRAIL OF WHERE TO GO 984 00:55:50,740 --> 00:55:51,740 OTHERWISE. 985 00:55:51,740 --> 00:55:52,740 DO WE BRING IT BACK HERE? 986 00:55:52,740 --> 00:55:56,380 DO WE HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO SEND IT BACK TO EARTH:CAN WE SHOOT 987 00:55:56,380 --> 00:56:01,850 IT TO THE SUN THAT HAS BEEN, BUT NUCLEAR WASTE INTO THE SUN 988 00:56:01,850 --> 00:56:06,700 BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A WAY TO DISPOSE OF IT. 989 00:56:06,700 --> 00:56:07,700 I SAY THAT SURREPTITIOUSLY. 990 00:56:07,700 --> 00:56:14,420 BUT I DON'T THINK THERE IS NOT ANY WAY, EVENTUALLY OUR PROBES 991 00:56:14,420 --> 00:56:21,501 TO GO OUT DEEP INTO SPACE BECOME SPACE JUNK WHEN THEY 992 00:56:21,501 --> 00:56:22,501 STOP FUNCTIONING. 993 00:56:22,501 --> 00:56:23,501 UNLESS, THERE IS ONE EXAMPLE. 994 00:56:23,501 --> 00:56:27,320 FOR INSTANCE WAS A GALILEO, I BELIEVE. 995 00:56:27,320 --> 00:56:32,801 GALILEO WHICH WAS EXPLORING JUPITER WAS SENT INTO THE 996 00:56:32,801 --> 00:56:34,770 ATMOSPHERE OF JUPITER AT THE END OF ITS MISSION TO BE 997 00:56:34,770 --> 00:56:39,270 DESTROYED SO IT WOULDN'T POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATE SOME OF 998 00:56:39,270 --> 00:56:40,510 JUPITER'S MOONS. 999 00:56:40,510 --> 00:56:43,520 SO SOMETIMES WE THINK AHEAD AND TRY TO CLEAN UP AFTER 1000 00:56:43,520 --> 00:56:44,520 OURSELVES. 1001 00:56:44,520 --> 00:56:46,550 IF THERE IS A DANGER WE MIGHT BE THREATENING OTHER 1002 00:56:46,550 --> 00:56:49,090 ECOSYSTEMS, EXTRA TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS. 1003 00:56:49,090 --> 00:56:52,630 THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE TIME WE HAVE DONE THAT. 1004 00:56:52,630 --> 00:56:54,860 >> WE ARE GOOD. 1005 00:56:54,860 --> 00:56:59,240 I THINK WE ARE, UNLESS WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS HERE FROM THE 1006 00:56:59,240 --> 00:57:00,870 AUDIENCE IN HOUSE. 1007 00:57:00,870 --> 00:57:03,070 ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. 1008 00:57:03,070 --> 00:57:06,820 I THINK WE ARE AT THE END OF OUR PROGRAM BUT I WANT TO THANK 1009 00:57:06,820 --> 00:57:09,360 OUR SPONSOR, THE BOEING COMPANY. 1010 00:57:09,360 --> 00:57:14,050 I WANT TO THANK OUR AUDIENCES ON NASA T.V., ONLINE, AND HERE 1011 00:57:14,050 --> 00:57:15,900 WITH US AROUND THE STAGE.