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Tracking Space Junk

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Tracking Space Junk

Space junk is human-made debris orbiting Earth, such as retired satellites and pieces left after launches. It travels quickly, so scientists track its position and movement to help protect working spacecraft. Read the mission log and use its data to solve the questions. The positions are fictional and simplified.

Mission log: a piece of debris

A ground station uses radar to observe a small piece of debris. Radar sends radio waves and detects returning signals. A telescope can also observe some objects, while computers combine observations to estimate an object's path. Scientists share tracking information because no single observation tells the whole story. In this simplified log, the piece moves eastward in a steady path. Its position is recorded in kilometres east of a reference point. Positive numbers are east; negative numbers are west. Time after first observation: 0 min — position −20 km; 2 min — position 0 km; 4 min — position 20 km; 6 min — position 40 km.

1.Which information would be most useful to predict where the debris will be next?

Its position at several times
Its colour in a drawing
The name of the ground station
The weather at the station

2.Use the mission log. At which time was the debris at position 20 km?

3.Mark each recorded position on the number line. Then add an arrow to show the direction the debris is moving.

4.The position changes by the same amount every 2 minutes. How many kilometres does it change each time?

5.If the steady movement continues, predict the debris position 8 minutes after the first observation. Show or explain your reasoning.

6.Match each tracking tool to its job.

Radar
Telescope
Computer

Observes distant objects using light
Sends radio waves and detects returning signals
Combines observations and helps estimate a path

7.A student says, “One radar reading tells scientists exactly where the debris will be tomorrow.” Is this claim reliable? Explain why or why not.

8.Choose the best reason scientists track space junk.

To help identify possible risks to working spacecraft
To stop every object from moving
To make debris brighter
To bring every piece down immediately

9.Two ground stations make observations at different times. Why might sharing their data help the tracking team?

10.A class wants to model tracking a moving object without throwing anything. Suggest a safe object or method, and name one piece of information to record more than once.