Universal dump

 
By A Asha
Published: Monday 30 April 2001

Space, the final frontier, is rapidly becoming one big trash dump, experts have warned at a recent conference in Germany. Thousands of rocket launches have left a growing amount of orbiting debris that may badly hamper future launches into space. If one counts tiny bits of metal and debris, the total number of orbiting trash items rises to between 100,000 and 150,000, the agency estimates. Computer simulations of the problem show the Earth surrounded by debris ranging from bolts and straps to enormous fuel tanks.

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