"Space debris (also known as space junk, space pollution, space waste, space trash, space garbage, or cosmic debris) are defunct human-made objects in space – principally in Earth orbit – which no longer serve a useful function."
Study the various types of artificial objects in space, including rockets, satellites, and space debris, and learn how to identify and analyze them through archaeological methods.
Spacecraft and Satellite Construction: An introduction to the basics of spacecraft and satellite construction to understand the components of these structures.
Orbital Mechanics: The principles of orbital mechanics that govern the motion of spacecraft and satellites.
Remote Sensing: A branch of space archaeology that relies on satellite imagery to locate and study archaeological sites from space.
Archaeological Excavation and Preservation: The techniques used in excavating and preserving artifacts from the space environment.
Space Debris and Its Impact: Introduction to space debris and how it impacts the environment in the Earth's orbit.
Archaeological Survey Techniques: An introduction to surveying techniques used in space archaeology.
Space Law and Policy: The legal issues and policies concerning space archaeology and the use of space for scientific research.
Cultural Astronomy: How different cultures perceive and interpret celestial bodies, their myths, and legends.
Human Spaceflight History: The history of spaceflight, specifically how humans have contributed to space exploration.
Space colonization and sustainability: The history of space colonization, sustainability issues, and other related environmental concerns.
Astrobiology: The study of life in the universe, including the search for extraterrestrial life.
Aerospace Engineering: Introduction to aerospace engineering and how it relates to space archaeology.
Geospatial Data Analytics: A branch of space archaeology that focuses on the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for location and analysis of archaeological sites.
International Partnerships in Space Archaeology: International cooperation and partnerships in space archaeology.
Artifact Restoration: Techniques used to restore historical artifacts found in space.
Extraterrestrial Mining: The potential for economic exploitation of mineral resources in space.
Environmental Impact: The impact of space archaeology on the environment.
Isotope Chemistry: How isotopic analysis is used in space archaeology to determine the age and origin of space artifacts.
Materials Science: The study of materials found in space and their properties.
Astrochemistry: The study of the chemical composition of celestial bodies, including space debris and meteorites.
Structural Space Archaeology: The study of the material structure and design of spacecraft and satellites to understand their composition, construction techniques, and technological innovations.
Historical Space Archaeology: The analysis of the history of spacecraft and satellites from their inception to their end-of-life, including engineering, social, and cultural history.
Surface Space Archaeology: The study of space debris, fragments, and other material objects that have fallen to Earth from spacecraft and satellites to understand their origins and how they interact with the environment.
Remote Sensing Space Archaeology: The use of remote sensing techniques to acquire data about spacecraft and satellites in orbit, including their physical properties, trajectory, and environmental impacts.
Digital Space Archaeology: The study of digital data and information stored on spacecraft and satellites, including telemetry, communications, and scientific data, providing insights into the missions and operations of these vehicles.
Legal Space Archaeology: The study of the legal and regulatory frameworks surrounding space activities, including national and international space law, treaties, and agreements that affect the design, operation, and disposal of spacecraft and satellites.
Space Anthropology: The analysis of social and cultural aspects related to the design, manufacture, and use of spacecraft and satellites, including the roles of different actors, such as engineers, space scientists, astronauts, and mission control personnel.
Space Artifacts: The study of physical objects that were part of spacecraft and satellites, such as tools, instruments, and materials used in their construction and operation, providing insights into their engineering and design.
Astro-archaeology: The study of space-related artifacts and archeological remains related to extraterrestrial bodies such as the Moon, Mars, or other planets in the solar system.
Space Ethics: The exploration of ethical issues that arise in the context of space activities, including the environmental impact, risks to human life, and implications for future generations.
"Space debris represents a risk to spacecraft."
"When the smallest objects of artificial space debris (paint flecks, solid rocket exhaust particles, etc.) are grouped with micrometeoroids, they are together sometimes referred to by space agencies as MMOD (Micrometeoroid and Orbital Debris)."
"As of November 2022, the US Space Surveillance Network reported 25,857 artificial objects in orbit above the Earth, including 5,465 operational satellites."
"Other examples of space debris include fragments from their disintegration, erosion and collisions or even paint flecks, solidified liquids expelled from spacecraft, and unburned particles from solid rocket motors."
"As of January 2019, more than 128 million pieces of debris smaller than 1 cm (0.4 in) were estimated to be in orbit around the Earth."
"Satellite debris that is in a Molniya orbit, such as the Kosmos Oko series, might be too high above the northern hemisphere to be tracked."
"The smallest objects cause damage akin to sandblasting, especially to solar panels and optics like telescopes or star trackers that cannot easily be protected by a ballistic shield."
"Below 2,000 km (1,200 mi) Earth-altitude, pieces of debris are denser than meteoroids."
"The ISS has Whipple shielding to resist damage from small MMOD."
"These include derelict spacecraft – nonfunctional spacecraft and abandoned launch vehicle stages – mission-related debris, and particularly numerous in Earth orbit, fragmentation debris from the breakup of derelict rocket bodies and spacecraft."
"The measurement, mitigation, and potential removal of debris are conducted by some participants in the space industry."
"Several spacecraft, both crewed and uncrewed, have been damaged or destroyed by space debris."
"More than 34,000 pieces larger than 10 cm (3.9 in) were estimated to be in orbit around the Earth."
"Space debris is typically a negative externality – it creates an external cost on others from the initial action to launch or use a spacecraft in near-Earth orbit – a cost that is typically not taken into account nor fully accounted for in the cost by the launcher or payload owner."
"The two most recent large debris events – the 2007 Chinese antisat weapon test and the 2009 satellite collision – occurred at 800 to 900 kilometres (500 to 560 mi) altitude."
"Known debris with a collision chance over 1/10,000 are avoided by maneuvering the station."
"Most are dust from solid rocket motors, surface erosion debris like paint flakes, and frozen coolant from Soviet nuclear-powered satellites."
"They are together sometimes referred to by space agencies as MMOD (Micrometeoroid and Orbital Debris)."
"These include derelict spacecraft – nonfunctional spacecraft and abandoned launch vehicle stages."