Âé¶¹´«Ã½

Space

Race is on for space-junk alarm system

By Paul Marks

22 July 2009

Âé¶¹´«Ã½. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Keeping an eye on the increasing amount of space debris is no easy task

(Image: European Space Agency / Rex Features)

A WORLDWIDE network of radar stations could tackle the ever-growing problem of space debris – the remains of old rockets and satellites that pose an increasing threat to spacecraft.

The US government is launching a competition, which will run until the end of 2010, to find the best way of tracking pieces of junk down to the size of a pool ball. Three aerospace companies – Northrop Grumman, Lockheed-Martin and Raytheon – have each been awarded $30 million by US…

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