German Aerospace Center https://refractor.io/tag/german-aerospace-center/ German Aerospace Center en-AU Tue, 07 Jul 2015 06:11:52 GMT Germany to tackle space junk with GESTRA project https://refractor.io/space/germany-to-tackle-space-junk-with-gestra-project/ Due for completion in 2018, the GESTRA project is designed to monitor and track objects in low-Earth orbit

Scientists estimate there are 20,000 particles of space junk measuring up at over 10 cm (4 in) in diameter currently hurtling around the earth at an average velocity of 25,000 km/h (15,500 mph), threatening to damage or destroy orbiting satellites. To combat the problem, the German Government has granted the German Aerospace Center (DLR) €25 million to create a system to track space junk as it orbits the earth and the Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques (FHR) has been tasked with creating the new system's radar component.

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]]> Tue, 07 Jul 2015 06:11:52 GMT https://refractor.io/space/germany-to-tackle-space-junk-with-gestra-project/ Scott Collie