Have you ever worried about a rocket hitting you on the head? This is not one of life's big worries. There is an almost zero chance of this happening. However, that is changing. Scientists say that in the next ten years, a part of a rocket could fall from space and kill someone. Space is becoming crowded with space junk. The scientists want rocket companies to be more responsible. They want them to control how space junk re-enters our atmosphere.
The scientists looked at the risk of space junk hitting someone. A record 133 rockets went into space in 2021. That record will be broken this year. Over 60 per cent of rockets are abandoned in space. These circle the earth for years before they break up and fall back down. Space junk is more likely to hit someone in the Global South. However, most rockets are launched from the Global North. The scientists say companies are "exporting risk" to poorer nations.
Try the same news story at these levels:
Falling Rockets - Level 0, Falling Rockets - Level 2 or Falling Rockets - Level 3
Sources- https://gizmodo.com/falling-rocket-parts-more-likely-to-cause-deaths-1849165671
- https://www.newscientist.com/article/2327922-10-per-cent-chance-falling-rockets-will-hit-someone-in-next-decade/
- https://www.theverge.com/2022/7/11/23199088/uncontrolled-rocket-reentry-casualty-risk-analysis-space-industry
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