Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Space Station Turning Into a Trash Heap

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the waste-management dept.

quintin3265 writes "Apparently, the International Space Station is becoming overloaded with junk, stored among other places in a now unused airlock. Since shuttles aren't visiting the station, the station's occupants can't return broken machines to Earth. Furthermore, the only way they can dispose of trash and human waste is by loading these items in Russian cargo ships that burn up in the atmosphere."

3 of 312 comments (clear)

  1. Re:That explains.... by kfg · · Score: 0, Redundant

    can't they just get some big nets and laso all of the garbage together for a day or two and then give it a push towards Earth?

    Please bear in mind that the stuff is already traveling at orbital velocity. If you want it to fall first you have to knock about 4 miles per second off its velocity vector along the tangent to the orbital curve.

    It's not like dropping a ball off the top of a ladder because it's moving 'sideways' at nearly 5 mps.

    KFG

  2. burn up on re=entry? by Chuck+Bucket · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Can't they 'bundle' the trash and drop it towards earth? I expect it would all burn up into ash once it starts in the upper atmosphere, and shouldn't liter on the ground.

    Am I missing something?

    CB*)@@@

    --
    free ipod and free gmail!
  3. consult the American Way(tm)... by Sophrosyne · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Just use explosives dammit!
    Blow that trash to smithereens!!