Horizon reveals the scale of the problem of space junk. In 2014, the International Space Station had to move three times to avoid lethal chunks of space debris.
In 2014, the International Space Station had to move three times to avoid lethal chunks of space debris, and there is an increasing problem of satellites mysteriously breaking down.
With first-hand accounts from astronauts and experts, Horizon reveals the scale of the problem of space junk. Our planet is surrounded by hundreds of millions of pieces of junk moving at 17,000 miles per hour. Now the US government is investing a billion dollars to track them, and companies around the world are developing ways to clear up their mess - from robot arms to nets and harpoons. Horizon investigates the science behind the hit film Gravity and discovers the reality is far more worrying than the Hollywood fiction.
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Clips
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ISS EMERGENCY: Debris incoming!
Duration: 02:25
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Flying through clouds of space junk with a dead satellite
Duration: 01:17
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Firing a ball bearing at 14,000mph into an astronaut’s visor
Duration: 02:34
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Simulating space debris with a baked bean can
Duration: 02:59
Spot the International Space Station
See the ISS with the naked-eye from where you live as it races around the Earth every 90 minutes.
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Narrator | Helen McCrory |
Producer | David Stewart |
Director | David Stewart |
Series Editor | Steve Crabtree |
Broadcasts
- Wed 5 Aug 2015 20:00
- Sun 8 Jan 2017 21:00
- Thu 12 Jan 2017 00:00
- Thu 9 May 2019 00:00
- Sun 5 Dec 2021 00:40