Why didn't space agency cared about space debris in the first place?

[goldenpeach]

Is it because they tough that space is so big that the debris couldn't be a problem, because they hadn't the technology to deorbit the futures debris or because they simply didn't cared at all about the future?

[Red Iron Crown]

Mostly the first one, to my understanding. Kessler syndrome is mostly a non-problem, except possibly in geostationary orbit.

[Awaras]

Mostly the first one, to my understanding. Kessler syndrome is mostly a non-problem, except possibly in geostationary orbit.

Polar, it would seem...

[vger]

I doubt anyone who was exploring high Earth orbit could have imagined that we'd have hundreds of satellites circling the Earth now for 'mundane' things such as phone calls and watching the latest episode of *** and the City.

[Albert VDS]

"Hey, whats one little booster stage going to do any way?"

[Sirrobert]

Also I'd guess it's more expencive/dificult to prevent debris, rather than simply not care about it.

I gues you could compare it to the start of the industrial revolution. We poluted (relativly) more back than, because we didn't concider it a problem. "Meh, what's a few trees going to matter on this gigantic rainforrest"

[xcorps]

Polar, it would seem...

KSP needs a net...NAO.

[Sirrobert]

KSP needs a net...NAO.

I agree with this statement.

I want a net next to my claw

In all seriousness though. Very interesting video

[Camacha]

"Hey, whats one little booster stage going to do any way?"

This. The Big Sky Theory was pretty much that space is so big that collisions are quite unprobable. As with any other form of pollution (air, sea) the environment fills up eventually, causing problems anyway.

Of course, if no direct harm is evident, it is quite convenient to believe that it is fine to leave your trash at will.

[Skyler4856]

Please keep in mind that most major space agencies developed during the Cold war, the early stages were driven by political pressure to "beat them commies".

IE Imagine telling your commanding officer that instead of launching tomorrow, we have to add ullage motors to make sure debris doesn't stay in orbit.

[jwenting]

Please keep in mind that most major space agencies developed during the Cold war, the early stages were driven by political pressure to "beat them commies".

IE Imagine telling your commanding officer that instead of launching tomorrow, we have to add ullage motors to make sure debris doesn't stay in orbit.

where it might damage a Soviet satellite. He'd laugh you out of his office

[Skyrunner27]

You see they didn't have as powerful enough of engines to lift into orbit in one shot. Multiple stages were more important then than they are now. Infact both sides of the Iron Curtain could have launched a sattelite way before Sputnik, but they had their final stages disabled. Nations didn't care because they would have had to wait a long time before they could orbit if they cared.

[Skyler4856]

where it might damage a Soviet satellite. He'd laugh you out of his office

And bingo was his name-o!

[GreatWyrmGold]

KSP needs a net...NAO.

I bet someone could mod one. Probably. Toughest bit would be the animations, probably. Flexible stuff is tough for normal computer image stuff; imagine how it would be combined with the rest of KSP's engine!

[Idobox]

Also, most of the stuff was sent in LEO, where debris eventually fall back down. It's only for higher orbits that debris are a long term issue, and in the beginning, they couldn't even reach those orbits. Even today, there isn't much outside LEO and GSO.