Astrophysicist shares picture of big aluminum block hit by space junk; Elon Musk reacts

While the global space agencies are trying to dominate the low-Earth orbit (LEO), the space race has birthed a neglected but serious problem -- the problem of space debris. According to current estimates by NASA, there are over 27,000 pieces of space junk, big and small, floating in outer space and this number is expected to grow exponentially with the launch of more satellites in the future.

Although the issue does not seem serious from the surface, it is for functional satellites and the International Space Station (ISS) that are orbiting the Earth between a load of debris. 

Astrophysicist reminds risks posed by space debris; Elon Musk reacts

Experts have raised concerns that these pieces of junk pose a severe threat to the live spacecraft, an example of which was shared by astrophysicist Neil DeGrease Tyson. The author and public figure took to Twitter and shared a picture featuring an aluminium block, having a significant breadth, that was caved in by a flying piece of space junk. In his post, Tyson revealed that the severely damaged block was hit by a plastic piece that weighed just 14 grams but was flying at a speed of 24,000 kilometres per hour, many times faster than a bullet. 

According to a report by Big Think, this picture was originally posted by an engineer on Reddit, who revealed that the solid block was damaged during a test simulating damages done by even small pieces in space. Reacting to Tyson's post, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk reacted by saying that this is the reason why his SpaceX Dragon capsules are equipped with shields.

European Space Agency's quest to remove space junk

In late May, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced the 'Sunrise Programme' to remove satellites after they reach the "end of their operational service."

 According to ESA, the mission will soon enter its development stage as British in-orbit servicing company Astroscale has joined the ESA Partnership Project with satellite operator OneWeb. The company will soon begin manufacturing the first commercial "servicer" prototype designed to capture multiple satellites in LEO. Tap here to read more.