Tracking undetectable space junk

Colliding pieces of space debris emit electric signals that could help track small debris littering Earth's orbit, potentially saving satellites and spacecraft. Study: "The Emission of Nonthermal Electromagnetic Radiation by Colliding Space Debris- ( IOC SINTRA session on Dec. 5 at 3 p.m. CST) Satellite and spacecraft operators may finally be able to detect small pieces of debris orbiting Earth using an approach proposed by researchers from the University of Michigan. "Right now, we detect space debris by looking for objects that reflect light or radar signals,- said Nilton Renno , the principal investigator from the University of Michigan team and a professor of climate and space sciences and engineering and aerospace engineering. "The smaller the objects get, the harder it becomes to get sunlight or radar signals strong enough to detect them from the ground. Today, objects larger than a softball are the only trackable pieces of this "space junk,- which is less than 1% of the nearly 170 million pieces of trash leftover from rocket launches, spacewalks and defunct satellites. The new method can detect debris smaller than one millimeter in diameter-similar to the thickness of pencil lead.