Page 17 - SMEC-Newsletter-14th-Edition

STUDENT CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

NEED OF THE HOUR

Space Technology has been the talk of the town this year. Be it the magnificent unveiling of
the James Web telescope or launching of the Tiangong space station, from taking humans
back to moon by Artemis or the cherished PSLV launch of ISRO, the world continues to take
those giant leap for mankind. Year upon year these space missions unleashes a sense of
competitiveness between rival countries. This competitive race dates back to cold war era
and has led inevitably to the developments like anti-satellite weapons and launchers etc. So
the crux here comes is that these launches have resulted in proportional rise of space
debris and thus ‘crowding of space’.

NASA in 1978 proposed a theoretical phenomenon called ‘Kessler syndrome’ where this
overcrowding could lead to reduced space for advanced scientific missions and placement
of satellites. This posed the direct threat of unsustainable development. The need of the
hour is that agencies should take ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’ to clean up
their space debris. This cleaning though awkward comes with science led solutions also.
The menace of space debris must not hinder future explorations. Steps must be taken to
redesign and transform existing technologies.

OPPORTUNITY FOR ENGINEERS

As India, a fast growing and evolving economy has a substantive stake in the global space
kitty. India must also foray into new space missions and create new knowledge. During
2022, we saw a more inclusive approach by ISRO in promoting private players like Skyroot
aerospace. However, these companies should not only come with zeal and enthusiasm for
missions but also with new technologies that can help cater the above mentioned issue of
space debris. Integrating research to this issue and coming up with solutions can help them
to become one of its own kind. Here, engineers have an opportunity to work on more
technologies like reusable launch vehicles, more payload capacity on LVs, mitigation
strategy by providing provisions for additional fuel to help them come below low earth
orbit and burn themselves, designing space vehicles that can act like active debris remover
and collectors, design for demise techniques etc. More is needed to be spent on research
and development to come up with more viable solutions and today’s engineers and space
scientists have an open opportunity in this field. What is required is the commitment to
explore, research and come up with solutions and thus striving for a sustainable space.

SHISHIR GARG

19BME0859

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