Scientific American - 11.2019

November 2019, ScientificAmerican.com 23

ANNA SERDYUK

Getty Images

spective, junk can be very valuable. When

we call orbital debris “space junk,” we’re

closing off the idea that it might have some

positive qualities, now or in the future.

Some space junk is still functional—satel-

lites that still have fuel and can still transmit.

They’re only junk because no one is using

them at this point in time. Not that these

things must be gathering and relaying data

to be useful; space artifacts can have pri-

marily social rather than scientific functions,

like Elon Musk’s now interplanetary red Tes-

la sports car, or Vanguard 1, the oldest satel-

lite [remaining] in space. Most of their value

comes from shaping people’s ideas of what

space is and how they are connected to it.

In your book, you argue that orbital

debris should be left in place when

there’s no risk of collision with opera-

tional satellites and spacecraft. But

why not bring something like Van-

guard 1 down and put it in a museum?

I don’t think putting Vanguard 1 or other

superlative artifacts in a museum is the

best strategy for preserving value.

An artifact’s setting can be an impor-

tant part of its significance. Some of Van-

guard 1’s significance depends on its being

the oldest human-made object in orbit.

Brought back to Earth, it can’t be the old-

est thing in orbit anymore—something

else would gain that status. And, in terms

of scientific significance, the longer we

leave it up there, the more precious it

becomes as a resource telling us the

effects of long-term exposure to the space

environment. We can and do study this

remotely, measuring via reflectance how

rough Vanguard 1’s once smooth surface is

becoming over time. Also, if you put Van-

guard 1 in a museum, most people will

never see it, only locals or tourists. But left

as is, anyone can go look for it in the sky.

Are there any space artifacts or sites

that merit special protections?

I’m very worried about lunar sites, particu-

larly those of the Apollo landings. Everyone

seems to be talking about going to the

moon again, and people have talked about

visiting or approaching these places. If we

don’t make a solid case for their protec-

tion, then some cowboy might just send a

rover right up to Apollo 11’ s landing site and

drive over Armstrong’s and Aldrin’s foot-

prints. Even if they only get close enough

for a photo from a distance, that can still

stir up lots of lunar dust, which can be very

damaging for past exploration sites. On

Earth the archaeological principle is to not

unnecessarily destroy things and to always

leave more for future researchers who may

use better, more advanced techniques.

islands is distinct from the marine record,

Zhang adds, it helps to build the case for

a multimillion-year age.

The Sahara is the biggest source of air-

borne dust in the world—and that dust’s

journey does not end in the Canary Islands,

which lie just off the western coast of Afri-

ca. It continues on to places such as the

Caribbean and the Amazon rain forest,

Muhs notes. Amazon soils are poor in

nutrients, and he says the new results help

to show how nourishing dust from Africa

could have been supporting the South

American region’s incredible biodiversity

for millions of years—adding to the Ama-

zon’s own origin story. —Lucas Joel

Caravan journeys across

Saharan dunes in Libya.

© 2019 Scientific American © 2019 Scientific American

November 2019, ScientificAmerican.com 23

ANNA SERDYUK

Getty Images

spective, junk can be very valuable. When

we call orbital debris “space junk,” we’re

closing off the idea that it might have some

positive qualities, now or in the future.

Some space junk is still functional—satel-

lites that still have fuel and can still transmit.

They’re only junk because no one is using

them at this point in time. Not that these

things must be gathering and relaying data

to be useful; space artifacts can have pri-

marily social rather than scientific functions,

like Elon Musk’s now interplanetary red Tes-

la sports car, or Vanguard 1, the oldest satel-

lite [remaining] in space. Most of their value

comes from shaping people’s ideas of what

space is and how they are connected to it.

In your book, you argue that orbital

debris should be left in place when

there’s no risk of collision with opera-

tional satellites and spacecraft. But

why not bring something like Van-

guard 1 down and put it in a museum?

I don’t think putting Vanguard 1 or other

superlative artifacts in a museum is the

best strategy for preserving value.

An artifact’s setting can be an impor-

tant part of its significance. Some of Van-

guard 1’s significance depends on its being

the oldest human-made object in orbit.

Brought back to Earth, it can’t be the old-

est thing in orbit anymore—something

else would gain that status. And, in terms

of scientific significance, the longer we

leave it up there, the more precious it

becomes as a resource telling us the

effects of long-term exposure to the space

environment. We can and do study this

remotely, measuring via reflectance how

rough Vanguard 1’s once smooth surface is

becoming over time. Also, if you put Van-

guard 1 in a museum, most people will

never see it, only locals or tourists. But left

as is, anyone can go look for it in the sky.

Are there any space artifacts or sites

that merit special protections?

I’m very worried about lunar sites, particu-

larly those of the Apollo landings. Everyone

seems to be talking about going to the

moon again, and people have talked about

visiting or approaching these places. If we

don’t make a solid case for their protec-

tion, then some cowboy might just send a

rover right up to Apollo 11’ s landing site and

drive over Armstrong’s and Aldrin’s foot-

prints. Even if they only get close enough

for a photo from a distance, that can still

stir up lots of lunar dust, which can be very

damaging for past exploration sites. On

Earth the archaeological principle is to not

unnecessarily destroy things and to always

leave more for future researchers who may

use better, more advanced techniques.

islands is distinct from the marine record,

Zhang adds, it helps to build the case for

a multimillion-year age.

The Sahara is the biggest source of air-

borne dust in the world—and that dust’s

journey does not end in the Canary Islands,

which lie just off the western coast of Afri-

ca. It continues on to places such as the

Caribbean and the Amazon rain forest,

Muhs notes. Amazon soils are poor in

nutrients, and he says the new results help

to show how nourishing dust from Africa

could have been supporting the South

American region’s incredible biodiversity

for millions of years—adding to the Ama-

zon’s own origin story. —Lucas Joel

Caravan journeys across

Saharan dunes in Libya.

sad1119Adva3p.indd 23 9/18/19 5:19 PM

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