Sir - Continued space activity has necessitated the establishment of a catalogue of known space debris, which should be heeded by trajectory and spaceflight planners. Even a fleck of paint colliding with, for example, a spacewalking astronaut would, we are told, be fatal. Mass times velocity says it all.
Your statement is specially noteworthy, therefore, that "-The French Cerise research satellite has become the first officially registered victim of space-debris impact" (Flight International, 28 August-3 September, P19). This collision reportedly occurred with a "briefcase-sized" fragment, at an estimated speed of 50,000km/h. Although destabilised, Surrey Satellites considered that the 50kg craft could be brought under control. That it survived at all was truly astonishing. Who says that they don't make machines like they used to?
Perhaps fines for littering space should be imposed by a "Space Council" - in this case on the operator of the Ariane 1 third stage, which exploded. Ultimately, however, couldn't someone invent a device for cleaning that enormous vacuum - a "vacuum cleaner", perhaps?
ALAN MASON
New Auckland, New Zealand
Source: Flight International