How Did the Space Junk Stay in Orbit in Wall-E?












3















In the Disney/Pixar film Wall-E, we see space junk practically covering Earth's atmosphere in orbit.............how? If it had been years, generations since man had been to Earth, shouldn't all of that debris eventually have fallen back to Earth? Thus Earth's atmosphere should be clear of ANYTHING? (the surface and oceans would be a royal mess, but above should be crystal clear I would think?)



Is this something I'm missing in orbital physics, or is this question better to just chalk up to the "it's a cartoon, it looked cool to Pixar" position?



See the inserted picture to see what I mean.
enter image description here



And a view from far away
enter image description here






space physics wall-e







share|improve this question























  • Questions about real-world orbital physics are not well suited to a site about science fiction

    – Valorum
    1 hour ago
















3















In the Disney/Pixar film Wall-E, we see space junk practically covering Earth's atmosphere in orbit.............how? If it had been years, generations since man had been to Earth, shouldn't all of that debris eventually have fallen back to Earth? Thus Earth's atmosphere should be clear of ANYTHING? (the surface and oceans would be a royal mess, but above should be crystal clear I would think?)



Is this something I'm missing in orbital physics, or is this question better to just chalk up to the "it's a cartoon, it looked cool to Pixar" position?



See the inserted picture to see what I mean.
enter image description here



And a view from far away
enter image description here






space physics wall-e







share|improve this question























  • Questions about real-world orbital physics are not well suited to a site about science fiction

    – Valorum
    1 hour ago














3












3








3








In the Disney/Pixar film Wall-E, we see space junk practically covering Earth's atmosphere in orbit.............how? If it had been years, generations since man had been to Earth, shouldn't all of that debris eventually have fallen back to Earth? Thus Earth's atmosphere should be clear of ANYTHING? (the surface and oceans would be a royal mess, but above should be crystal clear I would think?)



Is this something I'm missing in orbital physics, or is this question better to just chalk up to the "it's a cartoon, it looked cool to Pixar" position?



See the inserted picture to see what I mean.
enter image description here



And a view from far away
enter image description here






space physics wall-e







share|improve this question














In the Disney/Pixar film Wall-E, we see space junk practically covering Earth's atmosphere in orbit.............how? If it had been years, generations since man had been to Earth, shouldn't all of that debris eventually have fallen back to Earth? Thus Earth's atmosphere should be clear of ANYTHING? (the surface and oceans would be a royal mess, but above should be crystal clear I would think?)



Is this something I'm missing in orbital physics, or is this question better to just chalk up to the "it's a cartoon, it looked cool to Pixar" position?



See the inserted picture to see what I mean.
enter image description here



And a view from far away
enter image description here






space physics wall-e




space physics wall-e






share|improve this question













share|improve this question











share|improve this question




share|improve this question










asked 4 hours ago









MissouriSpartanMissouriSpartan

43710




43710













  • Questions about real-world orbital physics are not well suited to a site about science fiction

    – Valorum
    1 hour ago



















  • Questions about real-world orbital physics are not well suited to a site about science fiction

    – Valorum
    1 hour ago

















Questions about real-world orbital physics are not well suited to a site about science fiction

– Valorum
1 hour ago





Questions about real-world orbital physics are not well suited to a site about science fiction

– Valorum
1 hour ago










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes


















6














In low Earth orbit 2,000 km, orbital debris circle the Earth at speeds of between 7 to 8 km/s, when orbital debris collide with other orbital debris its create more orbital debris.



Eventually debris will fall to earth and will burn.




How long will orbital debris remain in Earth orbit?




The higher the altitude, the longer the orbital debris will typically remain in Earth orbit. Debris left in orbits below 600 km (370 miles) normally fall back to Earth within several years. At altitudes of 800 km (500 miles), the time for orbital decay is often measured in decades. Above 1,000 km (620 miles), orbital debris normally will continue circling Earth for a century or more. from NASA








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  • 1





    Considering that the movie takes place approximately 700 years after Earth was abandoned, all that space junk should have de-orbited long since, unless there was a continuous supply of more material from somewhere.

    – DavidW
    4 hours ago



















0














To expand on Oni's answer, in much higher orbits, including geostationary orbit, objects can stay in orbit for millions or billions of years. As you get farther from the Earth, the atmosphere becomes exponentially thinner, to the point that particles coming from the Sun are more common than Earth-bound air molecules.




In higher orbits particularly out towards sort of 36 000 kilometres – what we’d call a geostationary orbit – in principle, they could stay up there forever. The orbit will tend to shift over time but it will stay orbiting the Earth in the same way that the Moon still orbits the Earth after millions of years. New Zealand Government Science Learning Hub







share|improve this answer























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    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

    votes








    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes









    6














    In low Earth orbit 2,000 km, orbital debris circle the Earth at speeds of between 7 to 8 km/s, when orbital debris collide with other orbital debris its create more orbital debris.



    Eventually debris will fall to earth and will burn.




    How long will orbital debris remain in Earth orbit?




    The higher the altitude, the longer the orbital debris will typically remain in Earth orbit. Debris left in orbits below 600 km (370 miles) normally fall back to Earth within several years. At altitudes of 800 km (500 miles), the time for orbital decay is often measured in decades. Above 1,000 km (620 miles), orbital debris normally will continue circling Earth for a century or more. from NASA








    share|improve this answer





















    • 1





      Considering that the movie takes place approximately 700 years after Earth was abandoned, all that space junk should have de-orbited long since, unless there was a continuous supply of more material from somewhere.

      – DavidW
      4 hours ago
















    6














    In low Earth orbit 2,000 km, orbital debris circle the Earth at speeds of between 7 to 8 km/s, when orbital debris collide with other orbital debris its create more orbital debris.



    Eventually debris will fall to earth and will burn.




    How long will orbital debris remain in Earth orbit?




    The higher the altitude, the longer the orbital debris will typically remain in Earth orbit. Debris left in orbits below 600 km (370 miles) normally fall back to Earth within several years. At altitudes of 800 km (500 miles), the time for orbital decay is often measured in decades. Above 1,000 km (620 miles), orbital debris normally will continue circling Earth for a century or more. from NASA








    share|improve this answer





















    • 1





      Considering that the movie takes place approximately 700 years after Earth was abandoned, all that space junk should have de-orbited long since, unless there was a continuous supply of more material from somewhere.

      – DavidW
      4 hours ago














    6












    6








    6







    In low Earth orbit 2,000 km, orbital debris circle the Earth at speeds of between 7 to 8 km/s, when orbital debris collide with other orbital debris its create more orbital debris.



    Eventually debris will fall to earth and will burn.




    How long will orbital debris remain in Earth orbit?




    The higher the altitude, the longer the orbital debris will typically remain in Earth orbit. Debris left in orbits below 600 km (370 miles) normally fall back to Earth within several years. At altitudes of 800 km (500 miles), the time for orbital decay is often measured in decades. Above 1,000 km (620 miles), orbital debris normally will continue circling Earth for a century or more. from NASA








    share|improve this answer















    In low Earth orbit 2,000 km, orbital debris circle the Earth at speeds of between 7 to 8 km/s, when orbital debris collide with other orbital debris its create more orbital debris.



    Eventually debris will fall to earth and will burn.




    How long will orbital debris remain in Earth orbit?




    The higher the altitude, the longer the orbital debris will typically remain in Earth orbit. Debris left in orbits below 600 km (370 miles) normally fall back to Earth within several years. At altitudes of 800 km (500 miles), the time for orbital decay is often measured in decades. Above 1,000 km (620 miles), orbital debris normally will continue circling Earth for a century or more. from NASA









    share|improve this answer














    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer








    edited 4 hours ago

























    answered 4 hours ago









    OniOni

    499216




    499216








    • 1





      Considering that the movie takes place approximately 700 years after Earth was abandoned, all that space junk should have de-orbited long since, unless there was a continuous supply of more material from somewhere.

      – DavidW
      4 hours ago














    • 1





      Considering that the movie takes place approximately 700 years after Earth was abandoned, all that space junk should have de-orbited long since, unless there was a continuous supply of more material from somewhere.

      – DavidW
      4 hours ago








    1




    1





    Considering that the movie takes place approximately 700 years after Earth was abandoned, all that space junk should have de-orbited long since, unless there was a continuous supply of more material from somewhere.

    – DavidW
    4 hours ago





    Considering that the movie takes place approximately 700 years after Earth was abandoned, all that space junk should have de-orbited long since, unless there was a continuous supply of more material from somewhere.

    – DavidW
    4 hours ago













    0














    To expand on Oni's answer, in much higher orbits, including geostationary orbit, objects can stay in orbit for millions or billions of years. As you get farther from the Earth, the atmosphere becomes exponentially thinner, to the point that particles coming from the Sun are more common than Earth-bound air molecules.




    In higher orbits particularly out towards sort of 36 000 kilometres – what we’d call a geostationary orbit – in principle, they could stay up there forever. The orbit will tend to shift over time but it will stay orbiting the Earth in the same way that the Moon still orbits the Earth after millions of years. New Zealand Government Science Learning Hub







    share|improve this answer




























      0














      To expand on Oni's answer, in much higher orbits, including geostationary orbit, objects can stay in orbit for millions or billions of years. As you get farther from the Earth, the atmosphere becomes exponentially thinner, to the point that particles coming from the Sun are more common than Earth-bound air molecules.




      In higher orbits particularly out towards sort of 36 000 kilometres – what we’d call a geostationary orbit – in principle, they could stay up there forever. The orbit will tend to shift over time but it will stay orbiting the Earth in the same way that the Moon still orbits the Earth after millions of years. New Zealand Government Science Learning Hub







      share|improve this answer


























        0












        0








        0







        To expand on Oni's answer, in much higher orbits, including geostationary orbit, objects can stay in orbit for millions or billions of years. As you get farther from the Earth, the atmosphere becomes exponentially thinner, to the point that particles coming from the Sun are more common than Earth-bound air molecules.




        In higher orbits particularly out towards sort of 36 000 kilometres – what we’d call a geostationary orbit – in principle, they could stay up there forever. The orbit will tend to shift over time but it will stay orbiting the Earth in the same way that the Moon still orbits the Earth after millions of years. New Zealand Government Science Learning Hub







        share|improve this answer













        To expand on Oni's answer, in much higher orbits, including geostationary orbit, objects can stay in orbit for millions or billions of years. As you get farther from the Earth, the atmosphere becomes exponentially thinner, to the point that particles coming from the Sun are more common than Earth-bound air molecules.




        In higher orbits particularly out towards sort of 36 000 kilometres – what we’d call a geostationary orbit – in principle, they could stay up there forever. The orbit will tend to shift over time but it will stay orbiting the Earth in the same way that the Moon still orbits the Earth after millions of years. New Zealand Government Science Learning Hub








        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered 12 mins ago









        WaterMoleculeWaterMolecule

        83115




        83115






























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