Waste in space: all the news surrounding space junk
What goes up, must come down — unless you’re sending things into space, of course, which creates some complications. After more than 60 years of satellite launches and space exploration, manufactured objects like derelict spacecraft and rocket fragments now litter Earth’s orbit as space junk. The waste has damaged or even outright destroyed active spacecraft it collides with and even caused property damage down here on terra firma when debris has failed to burn up in the atmosphere.
Some efforts, from net-casting satellites to “Zero Debris” space sustainability initiatives, have been made to address the growing problem. But with analysts estimating that over 2,800 satellites will be launched each year between now and 2032, more needs to be done to ensure that the space around Earth is safe. We’re collecting our coverage about space junk here to keep you updated.
Europe’s space agency will destroy a brand-new satellite in 2027 just to see what happens
Getting up close and personal with space junk
NASA confirms origin of space junk that crashed through Florida home
FCC issues first-ever fine for leaving junk in space
After mistaken identity and confusion, a piece of space junk slams into the Moon
A SpaceX rocket slamming into the Moon is a reminder to clean up our deep space junk
NASA delays spacewalk due to threat of space debris
Visualizations show the extensive cloud of debris Russia’s anti-satellite test created
SpaceX rocket debris lands on man’s farm in Washington
Earth’s next mini-moon might be space junk from the 1960s
Mesmerizing graph shows uncomfortably close encounters between space junk
More than 50 pieces of debris remain in space after India destroyed its own satellite in March
Watch a satellite spear space debris with a harpoon
Satellite uses giant net to practice capturing space junk
Want to get rid of space trash? This gecko-inspired robot may do the trick
Japanese mission to clear up space junk ends in failure
How can humans clean up our space junk?
This is what happens when a tiny piece of flying space debris hits the ISS