Lunar settlements could make space junk a problem

The Moon is currently carrying about 3,000 pieces of human-made debris, but it is not significantly affected by them, Yle reports. That could change if permanent settlements are built there, according to Ari-Matti Harri, director of Finland’s Space Situational Awareness Centre.

Discussion of lunar debris intensified after part of a SpaceX rocket struck the Moon early Tuesday. Researchers are seeking new information about the lunar surface from the impact.

The BBC published images from South Korea’s space agency showing marks left by the crash of the second stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Astronomer Math Bothwell of the University of Cambridge said space was becoming increasingly crowded and that more objects were being sent into space every year.

Harri initially compared the current amount of debris on the Moon to a pinch of sand in the Sahara. He later acknowledged that all debris could be considered a form of pollution.

The lunar environment also subjects the debris to extreme conditions. Objects can spend about two weeks exposed to sunlight, where temperatures may reach 100 degrees Celsius, followed by about two weeks at the extremely cold temperatures of space. The repeated shifts between extremes gradually wear down the material, Harri said.

Researchers have raised concerns about protecting historic locations, including the Apollo landing sites, as well as untouched areas of the Moon. According to the Guardian, human impacts on the Moon remain limited despite the growing amount of debris in space.

Space activity is closely regulated. The country responsible for an organisation, company or research institute that sends a satellite into space is also responsible for any damage it may cause.

That situation could change if plans by China and the United States to build settlements at the Moon’s south pole are realised. Harri expects that to happen within the next decade. If staff are stationed there for part of the time, the amount of waste would increase and regulations would likely require it to be removed.

SpaceX has also said it wants to establish a settlement on the Moon. The company’s founder, Elon Musk, has spent about two decades identifying the establishment of human settlements on other celestial bodies as his main goal.