{"id":147213,"date":"2024-12-16T19:45:28","date_gmt":"2024-12-16T14:15:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=147213"},"modified":"2024-12-16T19:45:28","modified_gmt":"2024-12-16T14:15:28","slug":"climate-footprint-of-space-exploration","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/climate-footprint-of-space-exploration","title":{"rendered":"Climate Footprint of Space Exploration"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The growing reliance on space technologies for climate monitoring and other critical functions has <\/span><b>heightened concerns about the environmental impact of space activities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, particularly <\/span><b>satellite interference and orbital debris.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Background<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the<\/span><b> European Space Agency, as of September 2024,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> there had been around <\/span><b>6,740 rocket launches since 1957<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that placed <\/span><b>19,590 satellites in orbit.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Around <\/span><b>13,230 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">are still <\/span><b>in space<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and of them <\/span><b>10,200<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are still<\/span><b> functional.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>About Climate Footprint<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A climate footprint refers to the <\/span><b>total amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> emitted into the atmosphere as a result of human activities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a<\/span><b> measure of how much a particular activity, product, or organisation contributes to global warming <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and climate change<\/span><b>.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6975%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Efforts of Space Agencies in Reducing Climate Footprint:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>National Aeronautics and Space Administration, USA and European Space Agency (ESA)\u00a0 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">have larger emissions due to frequent missions and larger-scale operations.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NASA is focusing on <\/span><b>reusable rockets<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> e.g., <\/span><b>SpaceX collaboration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ESA is engaged in satellite missions related to climate monitoring. e.g., <\/span><b>Copernicus program.<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA):\u00a0 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JAXA&#8217;s Earth observation satellites, such as the <\/span><b>GOSAT (Greenhouse gases Observing Satellite),<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> play a critical role in climate monitoring and addressing climate change.<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) is the<\/span><b> world&#8217;s first spacecraft to measure the concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the two major greenhouse gases.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>ISRO has a smaller footprint but growing emissions due to expanding space activities.<\/b><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u00a0 is developing <\/span><b>green propellants <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for use in future rocket &#038; satellite propulsion systems.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Environmental Impact of Space Activities<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Emissions of Greenhouse Gases:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Every rocket launch<\/span><b> emits carbon dioxide, black carbon, and water vapor, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">contributing to global warming.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Black Carbon\u2019s Role:<\/b> <b>Black carbon absorbs sunlight 500 times more effectively<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> than carbon dioxide, significantly <\/span><b>amplifying the warming effect.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Growing Commercial Launches:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Increased frequency of rocket launches <\/span><b>intensifies these emissions,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> exacerbating their cumulative impact on the climate.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Ozone Layer Depletion: Rocket propellants, especially those using chlorine-based chemicals, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">deplete the ozone layer at high altitudes, leading to increased ultraviolet radiation exposure on Earth.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ozone depletion affects atmospheric circulation, contributing to global climate changes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Harmful Satellite Debris: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When satellites burn up in the atmosphere at the end of their missions, they <\/span><b>release &#8220;satellite ash&#8221; in the middle atmospheric layers.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This metallic ash could <\/span><b>disrupt atmospheric composition and alter climate patterns.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Carbon Footprint of Satellite Production and Operations<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Energy-Intensive Manufacturing:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Satellite production involves energy-heavy processes requiring metals and composite materials, resulting in significant carbon emissions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>In-Orbit Emissions:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Satellite propulsion systems <\/span><b>emit gases <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">while adjusting location and orientation,<\/span><b> adding to atmospheric pollution.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Future Concerns with Space Mining: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Space mining, such as extracting minerals from asteroids, could lead to intensified industrial activities both in space and on Earth.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though <\/span><b>not yet operational<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, space mining could have profound <\/span><b>ecological consequences in the future.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>About Orbital Debris<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Definition:<\/b> <b>Orbital debris, or space junk<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, includes defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, and fragments from satellite break-ups in <\/span><b>low Earth orbit (LEO)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Scale of the Problem<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Fragmentation Events:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Over <\/span><b>650 fragmentation events<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (break-ups, explosions, and collisions) <\/span><b>have been recorded.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Mass of Space Objects:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The total mass of all objects in orbit <\/span><b>exceeds 13,000 tonnes.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>High-Speed Movement:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Debris can travel at speeds of up to 29,000 km\/hr, making <\/span><b>even tiny fragments highly destructive.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Orbital Space as a Limited Resource<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Pollution in Space:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Non-functional objects in orbit occupy valuable space, constituting a <\/span><b>form of pollution<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> similar to that on Earth.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Risk Amplification:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The growing number of non-functional objects increases the <\/span><b>likelihood of collisions,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> creating <\/span><b>more debris in a cascading effect.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Risks to Satellites and Space Missions<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Satellite Damage:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> High-speed collisions can destroy satellite components critical for communication, navigation, and climate monitoring.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Increased Costs: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Operators must <\/span><b>invest in shielding technologies.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Costly manoeuvres<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are required to avoid collisions, raising mission expenses.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Threat to the International Space Station (ISS):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The ISS <\/span><b>frequently adjusts its orbit to avoid collisions with debris,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> highlighting the risks to human missions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Interference with Scientific Data Collection<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Impact on Earth Observation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Orbital debris interferes with data collection for disaster tracking, weather monitoring, and other Earth-related observations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Radio Signal Disruption:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Debris <\/span><b>can interfere with radio waves,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> hampering the efficiency of scientific studies.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+CSE+Books\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Barriers to Space-Sector Sustainability<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Absence of Clear Guidelines:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The space sector <\/span><b>lacks comprehensive international regulations <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to control emissions and manage debris.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without standards, <\/span><b>emissions from rockets and satellites risk becoming overlooked contributors to global warming.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Outside Global Agreements:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Space activities currently fall outside international sustainability instruments like the Paris Agreement<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6988%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; color: #000000;\"><b>India and Sustainable Space<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Debris Free Space Missions (DFSM) by 2030:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> India aims to eliminate debris from its space missions, contributing to long-term space sustainability.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>End-of-Life Protocols for Satellites:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> ISRO ensures satellites are <\/span><b>maneuvered to lower orbits <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for controlled re-entry or <\/span><b>moved to graveyard orbits<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> sufficiently above the GEO region after mission completion <\/span><b>to prevent them from becoming debris.<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Compliance with International guidelines:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> India aligns with the<\/span><b> UN&#8217;s Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines and the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) space debris measures, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ensuring responsible space operations and the long-term sustainability of its space activities.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It actively participates in international frameworks like<\/span><b> COPUOS<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to enhance space traffic management and debris reduction efforts.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Overcrowding of Low Earth Orbit (LEO): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The rising number of satellites and debris in LEO increases collision risks, <\/span><b>making missions more expensive and complex.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overcrowding diminishes space\u2019s potential as a shared global resource, restricting equitable access.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Insufficient International Cooperation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Collaboration through organizations like the Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space (COPUOS) is essential to establish binding and enforceable sustainability standards.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without unified action, sustainability challenges in space remain unresolved.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>The Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is a <\/span><b>United Nations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> body established in <\/span><b>1959<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to promote international cooperation in the<\/span><b> peaceful use of outer space.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Non Binding provisions of the Outer Space Treaty (1967): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Outer Space Treaty promotes responsible use of space but lacks binding clauses to address environmental concerns.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Outer Space Treaty serves as the <\/span><b>foundation of international space law,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> promoting <\/span><b>peaceful uses of outer space and banning the placement of weapons in space.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Measures To Make Space Exploration More Sustainable<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Adoption of Reusable Rockets: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reusable rockets like those by <\/span><b>SpaceX <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><b> Blue Origin lower manufacturing waste<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>reduce costs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by enabling <\/span><b>multiple uses of rocket components.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>However, associated challenges include:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Heavier reusable components <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">increase<\/span><b> fuel consumption.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Limited applicability for high-orbit missions.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wear-and-tear necessitates <\/span><b>costly refurbishments,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> making scalability a challenge.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Transition to Cleaner Fuels like liquid hydrogen and\/or biofuels: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cleaner alternatives like liquid hydrogen and biofuels <\/span><b>can reduce harmful emissions during launches.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>However, Hydrogen production<\/b> <b>relies heavily on non-renewable energy, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">negating its environmental benefits.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Cryogenic fuels,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> though efficient, are<\/span><b> expensive and complex to handle, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">limiting their accessibility to smaller operators.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Electric propulsion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> offers a low-emission alternative, ideal for in-orbit manoeuvres.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, <\/span><b>its low thrust restricts its use to specific missions like in-orbit manoeuvres.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Use of Biodegradable Satellite Materials: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Designing satellites with biodegradable materials could <\/span><b>prevent long-term debris accumulation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by allowing <\/span><b>natural disintegration<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> during re-entry.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However,<\/span><b> current materials lack the durability <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">needed for extreme space conditions.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>High development costs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and limited adoption slow progress.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Deployment of Autonomous Debris Removal (ADR) Technologies: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Robotic arms and laser systems can help clean up orbital debris.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Challenges: High operational costs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Legal and regulatory uncertainty<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> hinders safe and widespread deployment.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Establishment of a Global Traffic System: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A <\/span><b>global system for real-time monitoring of satellites and debris<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can optimise orbit use and reduce collisions.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However,<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">r<\/span><b>esistance to data-sharing, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">including due to security and commercial concerns, and the <\/span><b>lack of a unified international authority<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> hinders its establishment.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Global Cooperation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> International cooperation through bodies like the <\/span><b>Committee on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space (COPUOS)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is necessary to create enforceable standards in this context.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc\/pw-only-ias?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Way Forward<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>International Collaboration: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Binding agreements via bodies like COPUOS can standardise emission limits, debris mitigation measures, and data-sharing protocols.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Prioritising Green Technologies: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Governments and private entities can focus funding on:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Advanced propulsion systems.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ADR technologies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Biodegradable satellite materials.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Incentives for Sustainable Practices: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Financial rewards, subsidies, or penalties can nudge private players toward adopting sustainable technologies and practices.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Space technology plays a crucial role in climate monitoring and disaster management. However, <\/span><b>rising environmental costs<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, both for Earth\u2019s atmosphere and outer space,<\/span><b> require immediate attention and coordinated global action.<\/b><\/p>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6375%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 111.19%; text-align: center;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Also Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Editorials<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/daily-current-affairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Current Affairs<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/quiz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Current Affairs Quiz<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Main Answer Writing<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-previous-year-papers?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Previous+Year+Papers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out Previous Years Papers From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-test-series-courses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Test Series<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-modules?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Modules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC Modules From PW Store<\/b><\/a><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The growing reliance on space technologies for climate monitoring and other critical functions has heightened concerns about the environmental impact of space activities, particularly satellite interference and orbital debris.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":147154,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[2089],"subject":[2092],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/147213"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=147213"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/147213\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":147216,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/147213\/revisions\/147216"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/147154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=147213"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=147213"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=147213"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=147213"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}