Alton Tech

Space junk, also known as orbital debris, is any human-made object that is no longer in use and remains in orbit around the Earth. Space junk can include defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, fragments from collisions or explosions, and even paint flakes or bolts. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), there are more than 34,000 objects larger than 10 cm, about 900,000 objects between 1 and 10 cm, and more than 128 million objects smaller than 1 cm in orbit. Space junk poses a serious threat to the safety and sustainability of space activities, as well as the environment and society on Earth. Space junk can travel at speeds of up to 28,000 km/h, which means that even a small piece of debris can cause significant damage or destruction to an operational satellite or spacecraft. This can result in the loss of valuable services such as communication, navigation, weather forecasting, or scientific research. Moreover, space junk can create more debris through collisions or break-up

In the annals of human history, the notion of traveling beyond our planet was once the stuff of science fiction. But today, it's a reality. Space tourism and commercial space travel have emerged as promising sectors in the aerospace industry. With companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic leading the way, this article delves into the exciting world of space tourism and commercial space travel, exploring its past, present, and future. I. The Dawn of Space Tourism Origins of Space Tourism Space tourism traces its roots back to the early days of space exploration when Yuri Gagarin and Alan Shepard became the first humans in space. This sparked the idea that one day, ordinary people might venture beyond Earth's atmosphere. Space Tourism Pioneers Space Adventures, a U.S.-based company, was one of the earliest to offer space tourism experiences. Their collaboration with the Russian space agency allowed private citizens to visit the International Space Station (ISS). II.