The space environment is peppered with space debris, some fragments too small to see with current systems, but energetic enough to pose a severe hazard to operational spacecraft. Credit: credit: The Aerospace Corporation’s Space Safety Institute
The space environment is peppered with space debris, some fragments too small to see with current systems, but energetic enough to pose a severe hazard to operational spacecraft. Credit: credit: The Aerospace Corporation’s Space Safety Institute

GOLDEN, CO — A university team has found that small orbital debris could emit radio bursts as they collide or approach each other in space. The signal can be detected with large radio dishes on Earth, as well as satellites in orbit. 

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Leonard David has been reporting on space activities for nearly 50 years. He is the 2010 winner of the prestigious National Space Club Press Award and recently co-authored with Apollo 11’s Buzz Aldrin the book “Mission to Mars — My Vision for Space...