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Space junk, or space debris, is any piece of machinery or debris left by humans in space. It can refer to big objects such as dead satellites that have failed or been left in orbit at the end of their mission.
Space debris (also known as space junk, space pollution, space waste, space trash, space garbage, or cosmic debris) are defunct human-made objects in space – principally in Earth orbit – which no longer serve a useful function.
Oct 12, 2020 · Swirling fragments of past space endeavours are trapped in orbit around Earth, threatening our future in space. Over time, the number, mass and area of these debris objects grow steadily, boosting the risk to functioning satellites.
Apr 25, 2019 · Space junk has been amassing since the first human-made satellite, Sputnik 1, escaped Earth's gravitational pull on October 4, 1957. The momentous event heralded the start of the Space Age as...
Apr 28, 2021 · Space junk is any human made stuff that has been left behind. Most of it is floating around the planet, but some equipment was also left on the Moon during the 60s and 70s.
May 26, 2024 · Space debris, artificial material that is orbiting Earth but is no longer functional. Much of the debris is in low Earth orbit, within 2,000 km (1,200 miles) of Earth’s surface. It is estimated that there are about 200,000 pieces between 1 and 10 cm (0.4 and 4 inches) across.
Jul 28, 2023 · Formally known as orbital debris, space junk can be bits and pieces of inactive satellites, the rockets that carry them into space, debris from missiles, and detritus left behind by astronauts. Space debris can be as large as a school bus (like the inactive Envisat satellite, launched in 2002) or as small as paint chips.
Oct 18, 2022 · A chunk of metal separates from a rocket or satellite, reenters the atmosphere, and then plummets to Earth. It strikes whatever happens to be in its path — whether open water, a grassy prairie,...
Jul 11, 2016 · Micrometeoroids and orbital debris (MMOD) is the number one risk for NASA’s human spaceflight programs. Many orbital debris objects—approximately 20,000—are large enough to be tracked and catalogued by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network and can be avoided by spacecraft maneuvering.
Jul 6, 2018 · ESA’s Annual Space Environment Report is full of facts, figures and tables that provide a detailed picture of how the space debris environment around Earth has evolved.
