Dead satellites are filling space with trash.
That could affect Earth’s magnetic field
Level 3: Advanced
1 Warmer
a. Discuss these questions with a partner.
• What are satellites used for?
• Do you know what happens to satellites when they reach the end of their operational life?
2 Key words
a. Write the correct words from the wordpool to complete the definitions below. Then, find and
highlight them in the article so that you can read them in context.
debris deflect demise deploy disposable
erode ignite intertwined perturb rip through
sheer shrouding ventures void wreckage
1. catch fire _____________________
2. move violently though something often resulting in damage or destruction _____________________
3. put into use or operation _____________________
4. intended to be used once and then thrown away _____________________
5. hiding or covering something _____________________
6. empty space _____________________
7. used to emphasise the importance of something _____________________
8. closely connected and difficult to separate _____________________
9. business undertakings involving risks _____________________
10. scattered pieces of waste coming from the destruction of something larger _____________________
11. the remains of something that was badly damaged _____________________
12. change direction or purpose after hitting an obstacle _____________________
13. worry or upset someone _____________________
14. gradually reduce or destroy _____________________
15. end or death of something or someone _____________________
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Dead satellites are filling space with trash. That could affect Earth’s magnetic field
Level 3: Advanced
b. Complete the sentences with words from the previous activity. You might have to change the
form of the word.
1. Waves _____________________ coastlines by slowly wearing them down over time.
2. The _____________________ of the company came as a total shock for everyone.
3. Her departure left a huge _____________________ in the company.
4. These concepts are undoubtedly _____________________ so it is impossible to analyse them in
isolation.
5. The new software was _____________________ yesterday so we’ll receive feedback soon.
6. We should definitely use fewer _____________________ products in order to protect our planet.
7. They used an explosion to _____________________ the meteorite and stop it from reaching the Earth.
8. The news _____________________ everyone in the office, causing a tense atmosphere.
9. _____________________ from the plane was scattered over a large area.
10. They’ve embarked on a new _____________________ and they are really excited about it.
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Dead satellites are filling space with trash. That could affect Earth’s magnetic field
Level 3: Advanced
Our ozone is pennies thick – and soon we’ll scientific research about space is
put at least an Eiffel Tower’s worth of metallic intertwined with commercial space ventures,
ash into the ionosphere every year which have a vested interest in avoiding
these questions.
Sierra Solter 6 Upon investigating how much dust in the
16 April, 2024 form of satellite and rocket debris the space
industry has dumped into the ionosphere
1 A dead spacecraft the size of a lorry ignites during re-entry, I was alarmed to find that it
with plasma and pulverises into dust and is currently multiple Eiffel Towers’-worth of
litter as it rips through the ionosphere and metallic ash. Our ozone is mere pennies
atmosphere. This is what happens to thick, and soon we will be putting at least an
internet service satellites during re-entry. Eiffel Tower’s worth of metallic ash a year
When the full mega-constellation of satellites directly into the ionosphere. And all of that
is deployed in the 2030s, companies will do will stay there, indefinitely.
this every hour because satellite internet 7 How could we possibly think that burning
requires thousands of satellites to be rubbish in our atmosphere 24/7 is going to
constantly replaced. And it could be fine? Although some study is being
compromise our atmosphere or even our devoted to the phenomenon of satellite and
magnetosphere. rocket chemicals saturating the atmosphere
with ozone-depleting alumina, no one else is
2 Space entrepreneurs are betting on studying the pollution of the magnetosphere
disposable satellites as key to a new means except me.
of wealth. There are currently nearly 10,000
active satellites and companies are working 8 We don’t even have an estimate of the mass
as fast as possible to get tens of thousands of all regions in the magnetosphere, yet we
more into orbit – for a projected 1m in the are going to load it with the wreckage of
next three to four decades. countless giant spacecraft. Unlike
meteorites, which are small and only contain
3 Those satellites power hyper-connected trace amounts of aluminium, these wrecked
internet services and may turn some spacecraft are huge and consist entirely of
billionaires into trillionaires – at the cost of aluminium and other highly conductive
shrouding the planet with toxic trash. The materials, which can create charging effects
problem is that space, contrary to popular and act as a magnetic shield.
belief, isn’t really a giant, self-cleaning void.
9 If all of these conductive materials
Space holds systems like the magnetosphere accumulate into a huge layer of rubbish, it
that keep us alive and supplied with oxygen could trap or deflect all or parts of our
by protecting our atmosphere. magnetic field. The Earth is a ball magnet
that we’re surrounding with fast-moving
4 It is easy to assume that the magnetosphere metal rubbish. And so far, the current debris
is too vast and robust for humanity ever to in the ionosphere shows an apparent
have any impact on it, but I don’t think that’s human-made electrostatic signature. It is
true. I’m a plasma physicist and the author known that individual spacecrafts can
of recent research that found that the space perturb their environment with plasma
debris generated by dead and dying wakes; imagine how 100,000 or more of
commercial satellites could compromise our them and their associated rubbish could
ionosphere or magnetosphere, also known perturb the magnetosphere.
as our planet’s plasma environment.
10 Even if we only induce perturbations
5 After studying the problem for over a year, I regionally, it could cause holes above the
have no doubt that the sheer vastness of this ozone. This could in turn allow atmospheric
pollution is going to disrupt our delicate stripping, which could erode our atmosphere
plasma environment in one way or another. over time and put the planet at risk of losing
Yet few people are discussing this potential habitability.
crisis – in part, I suspect, because so much
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Dead satellites are filling space with trash. That could affect Earth’s magnetic field
Level 3: Advanced
11 Low Earth orbit is being promoted as a
destination for satellites and even low-gravity
space hotels. People like Elon Musk and Jeff
Bezos repeatedly state that space is the key
to human longevity. But what if it is the
opposite? What if the space industry leads to
our pale blue dot’s demise? And what if all of
this pollution that space entrepreneurs are
creating is happening in such a
multi-disciplinary, inaccessible, un-studied
way that we don’t even understand the risks?
12 Our magnetosphere keeps us alive. It is our
first line of defence against an otherwise
lethal solar system, and any pollution of it
should be intensely studied and monitored.
Indeed, if an asteroid the size of a Starlink
satellite was heading towards Earth, it would
activate planetary defence monitoring. But
since it’s a human-made object impacting
the atmosphere, we don’t monitor it at all.
13 Space companies need to stop launching
satellites if they can’t provide studies that
show that their pollution will not harm the
stratosphere and magnetosphere. Until this
pollution is studied further, we should all
reconsider satellite internet.
© Guardian News and Media 2024
First published in The Guardian, 30/04/2024
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Dead satellites are filling space with trash. That could affect Earth’s magnetic field
Level 3: Advanced
3 Comprehension check
a. Are these sentences true (T) or false (F) according to the article? Correct any that are false.
1. Satellites will soon be utilised to provide internet services.
2. Companies are investing in single-use satellites with a view to making larger profits.
3. Many people hold the belief that space cannot deal with large quantities of rubbish.
4. The writer states commercial satellites alone are unlikely to damage our plasma
environment.
5. The writer affirms the lack of research responds to hidden interests.
6. Aluminium is potentially dangerous because it can alter the Earth's magnetic field.
7. The author believes the space industry is the future of human kind.
8. Space pollution should be much more closely monitored than it currently is.
4 Key language
a. Complete the phrases from the article with words from the box to form collocations.
devoted keep launching potential
sheer vested with put
1. Space holds systems like the magnetosphere that _____________________ us alive and supplied
_____________________ oxygen by protecting our atmosphere.
2. After studying the problem for over a year, I have no doubt that the _____________________ vastness
of this pollution is going to disrupt our delicate plasma environment in one way or another.
3. Yet few people are discussing this _____________________ crisis – in part, I suspect, because so
much scientific research about space is intertwined with commercial space ventures, which have a
_____________________ interest in avoiding these questions.
4. Although some study is being _____________________ to the phenomenon of satellite and rocket
chemicals saturating the atmosphere with ozone-depleting alumina, no one else is studying the
pollution of the magnetosphere except me.
5. This could in turn allow atmospheric stripping, which could erode our atmosphere over time and
_____________________ the planet at risk of losing habitability.
6. Space companies need to stop _____________________ satellites if they can’t provide studies that
show that their pollution will not harm the stratosphere and magnetosphere.
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Dead satellites are filling space with trash. That could affect Earth’s magnetic field
Level 3: Advanced
5 Discussion
a. Discuss these statements.
• ‘Few people are discussing this potential crisis – in part, I suspect, because so much scientific
research about space is intertwined with commercial space ventures, which have a vested interest in
avoiding these questions.’
• ‘People like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos repeatedly state that space is the key to human longevity. But
what if it is the opposite? What if the space industry leads to our pale blue dot’s demise? And what if
all of this pollution that space entrepreneurs are creating is happening in such a multi-disciplinary,
inaccessible, un-studied way that we don’t even understand the risks?’
• ‘Space companies need to stop launching satellites if they can’t provide studies that show that their
pollution will not harm the stratosphere and magnetosphere. Until this pollution is studied further, we
should all reconsider satellite internet.’
6 In your own words
a. With a partner, make a list of the pros and cons of employing disposable satellites.
b. Write an essay outlining the pros and cons of utilising disposable satellites, including your own
opinion on the matter.
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