Debate: There should be fewer satellites in space

FOR THE ARGUMENT: Suhani Negandh, Class 9C, SH Agarwal International School, Kandivali (West), Mumbai

Today, there are around 5,000 satellites orbiting the earth. Of these only about 2,000 are functioning. The rest are just floating in a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and circling at enormous speeds, becoming useless space junk! This space debris can affect our modern life.

Even though some orbital satellites fall back to Earth after they die, the Kessler Syndrome, a theory proposed by scientist Donald Kessler, states that two objects which collide in space will create debris and when that debris collides again, it will in turn create more debris. This happened in 2009, when Russian and American satellites collided and created 2,000 pieces of space junk. So, as we continue launching satellites in space, soon the LEO will be full of space junk and satellites, which will make space activities impossible.

All the services that depend on satellites will not work. There will be no worldwide communication, weather forecasts or the internet! It will make launching satellites difficult.Hence to prevent that, I believe that there shouldn’t be too many satellites in space and we should act to reduce the space junk.

AGAINST THE ARGUMENT: Dishi Mehta, Class 9C, SH Agarwal International School, Kandivali (West), Mumbai

In this era of dauntless space exploration, nations have been launching satellites in orbits aroundtheEarth. Thesesatellites have both advantages and disadvantages.

While scientific development brings harmony across the world,

an excess can hamper human life and the environment.

Moreover, extensive growth of satellites in space creates disruptions and sooner or later, destruction.

So the number of satellites in space should be limited.

Excessive use of satellites creates pollution, desertification and hampers the natural beauty of our planet.

In 1957 an artificial satellite was intentionally placed into our orbit to discover things and observe situations on the planet, but does it make a difference to our life? It is not only a waste of time, but also of thousands of people working on the project.

It is said that you have to take the good with the bad.

There is a craze to succeed in every part of the world.

This has motivated all science lovers to launch satellites, which have both desirable and undesirable features.