Byurakan Observatory launches space waste observation project

The Armenian Astrophysical Observatory is launching a space waste observation project in collaboration with Russian scientists.

Introducing the program at a news conference on Friday, the Observatory's director, Hayk Harutyunyan, said that attempts to launch satellites into space will become impossible in the coming decades (2020-2030) as the elements swirling in the universe at high speed are already developing into active mines and bullets, threatening satellites.

He said that elements swirl around the earth at an average speed of 10km/sec, a rate that exceeds the speed of gunfire bullet 10 times, carrying 100 times more energy.

He further referred to the fall of celestial bodies, noting in the meantime that they pose lower hazards.

"Falls cause lesser damage as they mostly occur in sparsely populated regions," he said.

In the frameworks of the new project, Russia is to allocate $2 million to the Byurakan Observatory to enable it to acquire new telescopes. Harutyunyan said the observatory is going to use small telescopes to conduct its observations. He also added that locations for watching the space waste have been selected, and infrastructure development is underway. The preparatory work is due to finish by October.