Chinese Rocket Set to Impact Moon: A Growing Space Junk Crisis
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Chapter 1: The Impending Lunar Collision
On March 4, 2022, a collision with the moon is anticipated, as detailed by Bill Gray, an American planetary expert who has been in communication with NASA regarding this event. Initially, Gray suspected that the debris in question originated from an outdated SpaceX rocket. However, further examination of launch records led him to conclude that the debris is linked to a Chinese rocket from the 5-T1 mission, which was launched back in 2014.
The 5-T1 mission was part of China's lunar exploration efforts but encountered a malfunction during its flight. Gray has tracked this piece of space debris since 2015 through his website, Project Pluto. He realized that the Falcon 9 rocket, which he initially thought was the source of the debris, had been launched just a month after he first identified this space junk.
> “The object had about the brightness we would expect and had showed up at the expected time and moving in a reasonable orbit. Essentially, I had pretty good circumstantial evidence for the identification, but nothing conclusive.” — Bill Gray
Section 1.1: Astronomical Insights
Astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell from the Center for Astrophysics at Harvard and Smithsonian corroborated Gray's findings with his own data. He pointed out that a radio device from LuxSpace was attached to the Chinese rocket, which tracked the data of their payload. This information was instrumental in confirming Gray's claim that the debris is associated with the Chang’e 5-T1 mission.
Subsection 1.1.1: The Growing Concern of Space Debris
Gray has emphasized the increasing frequency of high-speed space debris, making it increasingly challenging to trace its origins. The issue gained significant attention in 2021, with discussions surrounding the environmental impact of human activity extending beyond Earth’s atmosphere into space.
Chapter 2: The Future of Space Junk
This video discusses the implications of a rocket crashing into the moon and how space debris is becoming an urgent concern.
The concern about space junk is expected to escalate, as highlighted by Business Insider, which pointed out that no viable solutions are currently being pursued by space organizations. This incident serves as a reminder for both the space industry and the global community. While the remnants of the 5-T1 rocket are on a collision course with the moon, the risk of space debris impacting Earth is ever-present.
Based on the expertise of Bill Gray and Jonathan McDowell, the Chinese rocket is projected to collide with the moon on March 4. While responsibility can be attributed to China for neglecting its space debris, it is ultimately a shared obligation to maintain a clean space environment, akin to our responsibilities on Earth.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense’s global Space Surveillance Network (SSN), over 15,000 pieces of debris larger than 4 inches have been cataloged, with millions of smaller fragments estimated to be circulating in space. If this trend continues, we may soon face a significant problem with space junk raining down upon us.
This video covers the collision of a Chinese Long March rocket stage into the far side of the moon, underscoring the challenges posed by space debris.