Kiwi photographer Max Alexander turns camera on 'planetary defence', space junk

Photo: RNZ/Robin Martin An award-winning New Zealand photographer, who has an asteroid named after him for his work in space sustainability, describes the honour as a "tremendous thrill". Papakura-raised, but UK-based Max Alexander is quick to point out his namesake '6548 Maxalexander', discovered in 1988 by Belgian astronomer Henri Debehogne, is no threat to Earth, despite being 12km wide. "It's in the asteroid belt, so there's no need to worry about it," he said. "It's the same size as the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, but you don't need to wear a hard hat to work tomorrow - it's all fine." The former New Plymouth Boys' High School student describes himself as a science communication specialist, who uses visual storytelling to get messages across. He said the timing of the International Astronomical Union honour - which followed a nomination from a former professor of his at the University Collage of London - was interesting, as his current work involved illustrating "planetary defence". Photo: Max Alexander "Deflecting asteroids is the only natural disaster you can do something about," he said. "You can't do anything about an earthquake or a volcano here in Taranaki, or a tsunami or whatever, but an asteroid, you can deflect it." Alexander explained NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission a few years ago had successfully changed the orbit of the asteroid Dimorphos. "I'm involved with the Hera mission - the European Space Agency's follow up mission - that will go and characterise the impact crater from the American DART mission, which fired a 600kg mass at the asteroid and managed to deflect it very successfully." Alexander said the work was important work, because one day an asteroid would need to be deflected from its orbit, as it had a chance of hitting the Earth. "Importantly, there's an asteroid called 2024 YR4 and, in 2032, it has a 4 percent chance of hitting the moon. That probability is likely too high for NASA, so they may be deflecting that asteroid." The photographer, who trained at the Wellington Polytechnic School of Design, would take pictures of efforts to protect the Earth from asteroids, so-called "planetary defence". The work included photographing the people and facilities at the forefront of this important project, and also impact craters around the world over the next two years. It would culminate in an exhibition, also featuring still and video images taken from the RAMSES spacecraft, which will accompany Apophis, a 375m asteroid, as it safely passes close to Earth in 2029. Photo: Max Alexander Alexander said he was working as a freelance commercial/editorial photographer in Britain, when a trip to shoot the Northern Lights awakened an interest in astronomy and astrophysics, which he subsequently studied at University College London. "I sort of changed career paths from then, and so now I specialise in the astronomy sector for international and inter-governmental organisations, and also the space industry, the UK Space Agency, European Space Agency. "I'm a commissioned photographer for them, but also run my own projects as well, mainly about environmentalism for space, how we're now starting to pollute space and what are we doing about the problem space sustainability." Alexander said much of his work was artistic in nature and the exhibition 'Our Fragile Space', put together over three years, was shown at the UN General Assembly and the Lloyds Building, and would soon be exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts Courtyard in London. Photo: Max Alexander It had been credited with influencing European space policy and contributing to the UK government's creation of ISAM (In-orbit, Servicing, Assembly and Manufacture), which Alexander described as a policy of moving towards a circular-economy in space. "There are studies showing that, in 10 years' time, there will likely be 10 times the number of satellites in Low Earth Orbit from 10,000 to 100,000, which is the trajectory we're currently on. "This is the trend. You could end up affecting the delicate balance of the upper atmosphere." Essentially, satellites breaking up while re-entering Earth's atmosphere released particles that could impact atmospheric chemistry and potentially slowing the repair of the ozone layer, for example. Photo: Max Alexander Alexander, whose work also showcased the benefits of the space programme, said he favoured "an everything in moderation" approach. "We need to become good stewards of the near-space environment, to be more sustainable in space. One tangible example would be to refuel satellites. "Satellites, as soon as they run out of fuel, that's the end of them and they're not just floating around. They're travelling at tremendous velocities - you've essentially created space debris. "To address the problem today, you could refuel them, you could extend the life of these missions. You could try and recycle the materials." As...

Kiwi photographer Max Alexander turns camera on 'planetary defence', space junk

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