Conquering Earth's space junk problem: reading answers and analysis
Satellite launches have quadrupled, and one collision can create thousands of fragments that threaten everything else in orbit. Researchers are building better catalogues and classifications of debris, international bodies set disposal guidelines that only half of missions follow, and experts argue that knowing precisely where everything is would make space as manageable as an airport.
Questions 27-40 · 14 marks · 3 question blocks
Where the answers sit
Section matching (27-31) needs every section except D. The summary (32-35) is all in C. The people matching (36-40) covers B to F, and Jah is the answer twice.
Questions 27-31
The Iridium-Cosmos crash is in A. Efforts to classify debris by shape and size are in B, and international cooperation on guidelines is in C. The airport comparison is in E. Jah's aim of a safe, free space for future generations is at the end of F.
| Question | Answer | Also accepted |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | C | — |
| 28 | F | — |
| 29 | A | — |
| 30 | E | — |
| 31 | B | — |
Questions 32-35
C gives the guidelines in the same order as the summary. The first gap is an abstract noun (what the guidelines aim for), then what gets vented, what that prevents, and what happens to the operators who fail financially.
| Question | Answer | Also accepted |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | sustainability | — |
| 33 | fuel | — |
| 34 | explosions | — |
| 35 | bankrupt | — |
Questions 36-40
Jah gets two: conflicting US and Russian orbit data, and keeping space usable for future generations. Sorge says precise locations would almost end the problem. Krag says half of missions ignore the 25-year rule. Frueh warns of a point of no return.
| Question | Answer | Also accepted |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | C | — |
| 37 | D | — |
| 38 | B | — |
| 39 | D | — |
| 40 | A | — |
The questions most people get wrong
F. 'Space environmentalist' and wanting space safe and useful for generations to come is Jah explaining his aims. It's easy to miss because it comes after the database example.
A (Frueh). 'A point of no return' means damage that can't be undone. It's in B, early on, before most of the named experts appear.
Write the plural 'explosions'. The guideline is about venting pressurised materials or leftover fuel that might lead to explosions.
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