steveox
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Greenhouse Effect Could Cause a Space Problem
By Marc Kaufman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Far above Earth, where the atmosphere as we know it merges into empty space, lies the thermosphere -- home to space stations and satellites and very thin air. Hardly the kind of place, one might think, where human affairs would have much impact.
But just as all those cars and factories burning gasoline and coal are said to be creating a greenhouse effect, causing the lower atmosphere to warm, new research has concluded that the carbon dioxide released by humans is gradually changing the upper atmosphere, too.
The difference is that the effect is not to make it warmer, but rather to create a cooler -- and less dense -- environment. And there has already been enough of a change that those who control orbiting satellites have to take the effect into account as they do their work.
"This is of big interest to the satellite navigation community," said Stanley Solomon of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo.
"It will probably make it a little easier to keep large objects like the space station in orbit. But on the other side, space junk or debris gets cleaned out of the atmosphere when it becomes more dense. Because this makes it less dense, space junk may well have a longer lifetime and cause more problems."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/11/AR2006121101241.html
Its NASA whos the crooks. So should republican congress Tax Astronauts and NASA CEO people? Why should i pay Car Taxes and Auto Emissons? I didnt do it
By Marc Kaufman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Far above Earth, where the atmosphere as we know it merges into empty space, lies the thermosphere -- home to space stations and satellites and very thin air. Hardly the kind of place, one might think, where human affairs would have much impact.
But just as all those cars and factories burning gasoline and coal are said to be creating a greenhouse effect, causing the lower atmosphere to warm, new research has concluded that the carbon dioxide released by humans is gradually changing the upper atmosphere, too.
The difference is that the effect is not to make it warmer, but rather to create a cooler -- and less dense -- environment. And there has already been enough of a change that those who control orbiting satellites have to take the effect into account as they do their work.
"This is of big interest to the satellite navigation community," said Stanley Solomon of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo.
"It will probably make it a little easier to keep large objects like the space station in orbit. But on the other side, space junk or debris gets cleaned out of the atmosphere when it becomes more dense. Because this makes it less dense, space junk may well have a longer lifetime and cause more problems."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/11/AR2006121101241.html
Its NASA whos the crooks. So should republican congress Tax Astronauts and NASA CEO people? Why should i pay Car Taxes and Auto Emissons? I didnt do it
