22nd March, 2024
CHIRANJIT MITRA
Deep in the Pacific Ocean lies a watery resting place for retired space giants.
Point Nemo is the most remote place on Earth, making it the perfect spot to ditch defunct spacecraft.
It's not just satellites! Space stations like Mir and hundreds of other spacecraft lie at the bottom.
Point Nemo is named after Captain Nemo, the fictional submarine from Jules Verne's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea."
It takes weeks for debris to sink to these crushing depths of about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles).
Re-entry could be better. Large pieces of indestructible titanium and other materials survive the plunge.
Is it pollution? Scientists monitor Point Nemo, but the environmental impact is still being debated.
Point Nemo's remoteness offers some protection – the wildlife down there is unique and poorly understood.
What about the future? Agencies are designing spacecraft that burn up entirely upon re-entry.
Point Nemo: A haunting reminder of our space ambitions and the challenges of space waste.