Space junk strike on China’s astronaut capsule highlights need for a space rescue service, experts say
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/human-spaceflight/space-junk-strike-on-chinas-astronaut-capsule-highlights-need-for-a-space-rescue-service-experts-say
10 Comments
China does have a rescue vehicle that is currently prepping to launch, no?
Also maybe a need to not develop bloody anti-sat missiles …. that’d be a great start
This sounds like a particularly stupid idea. We need to build spare space faring capability to sit idle awaiting the need for space roadside assistance? Under some expectation that this rescue force will be able to operate in unknown conditions with different vehicles – in space?
China is a bit of an unreliable narrator. This could have been impact from space debris, or it could be mechanical failure that they don’t want to admit to.
What a post about china’s space program on r/space?
Well, they made most of the space trash/junk, so they can deal with the consequences.
It’d be a luxury. Any rescue service is a sort of luxury. Like, down here on the ground it’s an easy and common luxury, since civilization has long since had the infrastructure and organization to allow for some people and resources to be kept reserved for emergencies.
In space, we’re still building up that infrastructure. There’s already redundancy but obviously it’s still not perfect. It’ll improve as orbital and launch infrastructure builds out.
Why can’t we just focus on cleaning up the garbage and minimizing the risk? On the other hand, space tow truck driver would look good on my résumé.
Also h ighlights that countries need to stop launching things into space that fall apart, either by design or shoddy workmanship.
I can see what will happen…
– Astronauts get stranded in space
– Elon goes on tv every day, screaming about how the government needs to save them – and it’s murder not to
– The government hires Elon’s space rescue service
– Elon demands $55 billion
– The government refuses
– Elon goes back on tv every day, calling the government murderers
– Elon pays his friends in the right-wing media to harp on the issue
– The public demands action
– Elon agrees to accept only $45 billion
– The mission costs him $500 million
– Elon gives the government official who green-lit the rescue a $50 million ‘tip’ (which, the Supreme Court says is OK, because it’s only a gratuity)
– Rinse and repeat