Can space exploration be environmentally friendly?
CrowdScience
BBC
4.8 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 19 March 2021
⏱️ 40 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The space industry, with its fuel-burning rockets, requirements for mined metals and inevitable production of space junk, is not currently renowned for its environmental credentials. Can space exploration ever be truly environmentally friendly? Presenter Marnie Chesterton answers a selection of listeners’ questions on the topic of space environmentalism. She starts by examining the carbon footprint of spaceship manufacturing here on Earth, and asking whether reusable rocket ships such as Space X or Virgin Galactic offer a green route for commuting or tourism in low Earth orbit.
Just beyond our atmosphere, space junk and space debris are multiplying at an exponential rate, jeopardising our communications and mapping satellites, and even putting our access to the wider solar system at risk. As more probes and landers head to the Moon and Mars, what plans are in place to deal with space debris far beyond Earth? Presented by Marnie Chesterton Produced by Jen Whyntie for the BBC World Service
[Image: Space Junk. Credit: Getty Images]
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Take some time for yourself with soothing classical music from the mindful mix, the Science of |
| 0:07.0 | Happiness Podcast. |
| 0:08.0 | For the last 20 years I've dedicated my career to exploring the science of living a happier more meaningful life and I want |
| 0:14.4 | to share that science with you. |
| 0:16.1 | And just one thing, deep calm with Michael Mosley. |
| 0:19.4 | I want to help you tap in to your hidden relaxation response system and open the door to that |
| 0:25.4 | calmer place within. Listen on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:30.3 | Hello and welcome is the show that finds answers to your science |
| 0:35.0 | from the BBC World Service. I'm Marnie Chesterton and this is the show that |
| 0:39.7 | finds answers to your science questions. This week we've got an inbox brimming with |
| 0:46.9 | concerns about our exploits beyond planet Earth and the environmental cost |
| 0:51.5 | not just to this planet but to the solar system. |
| 0:55.2 | We're asking if space exploration could ever be environmentally friendly. |
| 1:00.2 | Joining me to help answer your queries is BBC Science Correspondent John Amos. |
| 1:08.4 | John I'm just wondering could I call you the designated space correspondent? |
| 1:13.0 | Because I feel like you've covered everything space-related |
| 1:16.0 | asteroid, satellites, rocket launches. |
| 1:19.0 | Tough question, straight off the bat there, isn't it? |
| 1:22.0 | Yes. I am a correspondent who covers space. Is that the same thing? |
| 1:26.0 | That's a yes. And so what draws you to this topic? |
| 1:32.0 | It's fascinating, it really is. It's out there as being so exciting |
| 1:36.7 | you have to take notice. And some of the things we're going to talk about in this program, |
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