How does NASA track space junk?

→ NASA keeps an eye on space trash using two types of equipment.

→ Radar systems on the ground and sensors in space.

→ Here's a simple explanation of how they do it:

Ground-Based Radar
Optical Telescopes
Space-Based Sensors
Space Surveillance Networks
Computational Models
Cataloging and Database

(1). Ground-Based Radar

→ NASA and other space groups use special machines on Earth to follow things in space.

→ These machines send out special radio waves, which touch space junk and come back.

→ When they watch the signals that bounce, they can understand where things are, how fast they're moving, and where they're headed.

(2). Optical Telescopes

→ Telescopes on the ground are used to track big space junk.

→ They can find and watch objects in space by capturing sunlight reflected off them.

(3). Space-Based Sensors

→ Satellites and spaceships with special tools go around Earth to watch out for space junk.

→ These tools can find and keep an eye on things in space, even the tiny pieces that are tough to see from down here.

(4). Space Surveillance Networks

→ NASA and other space groups, like the U.S. Space Watch Team, work together to share information and work together to keep track of things in space.

→ The Space Watch Team uses a bunch of radars and telescopes to keep an eye on things up there.

(5). Computational Models

→ NASA uses very smart computer programs to guess where space trash will be in the future.

→ They take information from different ways of tracking the trash and use it to make predictions about where it might go.

→ This helps them figure out if there's a chance it could crash into satellites or spacecraft that are still working.

(6). Cataloging and Database

→ All the tracking data is gathered, organized, and saved in databases.

→ This information is constantly updated and used to keep a list of space junk that we know about.

→ NASA and other space groups watch space junk all the time and guess where it's going.

→ This helps them stop crashes with working satellites and spaceships.

→ It helps keep things in space safe and is better for the environment.