Hello everyone,
Now normally I would post a mid-month research update, however it has been a relatively uneventful first half of the month in terms of research. Not to say I haven't had anything to do, but a lot of what I wanted to talk about I can't until the mid-February research update at the latest. I wanted to talk about my two research paper drafts but I am still awaiting comments from one of my supervisors. It has put be a couple of weeks behind my set schedule, but not enough to stop me from defending my PhD thesis on time. I have sent reminder emails off to ask about the progress of my paper edits and comments and have been told since this month has a lot of research funding proposal due dates some student work requests have been put lower down on the priority list. Understandable to be fair, but frustrating since it stops you from working on your main research. I did end up re-prioritizing my work schedule, which includes the following items:
Begin refining the PhD thesis introduction chapter I started writing during the Own Your Future dissertation writers retreat in December.
Write out a list of potential figures to include in the PhD thesis introduction chapter.
Update my abbreviation and symbols list for my thesis
Write the acknowledgement and statement of co-authorship for my thesis
Download Mendeley onto my new laptop (very easy task)
Review data for the fractal dimensions vs radar remote sensing paper
Continue to search for postdoc positions and try to decide whether moving to Europe or the States would be the best career move...
Work on the Diaries of Space Explorers podcast.
- currently have 5 episodes recorded with 10 more in the pipeline. Also awaiting on responses from four more potential guests (including Dr Raymond Francis and a space education YouTuber)
I have not been able to make major adjustments to my thesis introduction chapter as of yet. I have mainly left comments for myself outlining things I need to add, remove, fact check, modify, or locations where a citation or citations are required. I plan to share more with you all by the end of month when I will post my end of month research update.
Space Debate Topic - Space Debris
For this post, I want to have a discussion with you all on an ever growing space sector concern. Space junk/debris. Space debris or space junk are fragments of launch material, rocket propellants, inoperable satellites and pieces of collided spacecrafts that orbit our planet. There has been growing concern with the increase number of space launches happening in the last decade, since it means more satellites are orbiting our planet and therefore more debris is left to either descend back to Earth or eventually decay. However, this could take years to a millennia, depending on the size of the debris and the material. If space debris continues to increase, there will be a point in human history where we won't be able to reach Low Earth Orbit, and satellites that we heavily rely on for communication, GPS, banking and the stock market could collide with debris and become destroyed. Right now, more than 95% of objects in Earth's orbit are debris making <5% operational satellites. This is concerning, especially with private companies such as SpaceX launching tens of satellites into orbit every year. SpaceX's Starlink satellite constellation project aims to launch ~42,000 small satellites into Low Earth Orbit (~500 km) to provide global access to broadband and internet. Although the intentions of the constellation project are good, the long-term affects could be devastating.
Image credit: European Space Agency
If 42,000 small satellites are launched without any procedures to remove them when they become inoperable then we are adding thousands more problems to the increase in space debris. I have been taken an intensive Space Law course at the University of Western Ontarios Law department and we recently learned that the liability of space debris damaging a countries satellite or infrastructure that is owned by a private company is vague. This is a problem for the host state of that private company because it makes them liable for a companies faults and actions. I think what needs to happen is a new binding international space traffic/debris agreement be signed to make it clear how a state will be held liable for space debris damage, and ensure private companies are held accountable for their actions and enforce the implementation of a satellite and space debris removal claws. By implementing this, private companies will have to release a space debris removal procedure for each new constellation or launch project they announcement.
These are my thoughts on the subject. I wanted to open the floor to you guys. Please comment to this blog post with your thoughts on whether private companies should be held liable for space debris damage to other countries and companies satellites in orbit.
Image Credit: SpaceX
Diaries of Space Explorers - Podcast Update
I am pleased to announce that the first two episodes of my podcast "The Diaries of Space Explorers" are now published and available for download! You can find both episodes on my podbean website, spotify and YouTube. They will soon be available on Apple Podcasts, I am just waiting on iTunes to validate my podcast RSS feed so they will be public and will automatically upload when I upload them on podbean.
In the first two episodes, I talk with guests Dr Hannah Sargeant and Hira Nadeem. In Hannah's episode, we talk about her journey from being inspired to pursue space by watching a Space Shuttle launch to then become a postdoctoral researcher studying how to extract resources from lunar rocks. In Hira's episode, we learn how to overcome academic obstacles in high school and university and how those lessons can help prepare you for the space sector.
I have left the link below to the episodes!
YouTube: Diaries Of Space Explorers - YouTube
I hope you enjoy them. Please share them with your friends and family and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
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