Although most ca n’t be seen by the bare eye , the Earth is surrounded by a spinning field of over 12,000 orbiting satellites . perform tasks from atmospheric condition monitoring to beaming the net down to rural kinfolk , these complex piece of scientific equipment make their house up above our atmospheric state and only come down once their time is nigh . But therein consist a trouble – what is done with a artificial satellite once it has no use ? Does it become orbitingspace dust , or is it contribute back down to Earth ?
When re - entering , most of a satellite plainly burn up as it scorches through the thickening atmosphere of Earth , but chunky machinerycan make it throughand reach the open . If there is a theory of this happening , the orbiter operators must prove that the risk of such an impact causing a fatal accident is just 1 in 10,000 .
Therefore , the salutary option is to assure the satellite gets absolutely efface before it touches the ground . Manufacturers call this Design for Demise ( D4D ) , aninitiativethe European Space Agency ( ESA ) is pushing as part of an endeavor tominimize space junk .
This is one suchdemonstration , provided by ESA in partnership with Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace , who are turn up that their Solar Array Drive Module ( that is , a structural spot of machinery that turns the solar panels to always face the Sun ) will never strive the ground should it reenter the atm . In the TV below , they utilize a plasm wind tunnel to assume the shape of reentry , and the results speak for themselves .
Watch as the SADM stands absolutely no chance against the plasm onset . Credit : European Space Agency
By testing the satellite ’s heat threshold they can tell if it is probable to endure its tumble to Earth before they even send anything up into distance . This is one of the few clock time it ’s all right to cheer on the side of a plasma wind tunnel annihilating an aim in its path .
