The amount of trash in Earth orbit, from spent rocket stages, broken satellites and micrometeoroids, is growing. Scientists are working on methods to combat the threat of space junk and orbital debris collisions.
Related Topics: International Space Station, Incredible Space Tech, Military Space, NASA
Latest about space junk
Solar activity makes space junk crash to Earth faster
Scientists studied how space junk moved in orbit over a 36-year span, finding that increased solar activity caused it to fall to Earth faster.
These 2 companies want to start removing space junk from orbit in 2027
Two private companies are partnering up to establish a repeatable debris removal service for low Earth orbit, and they want to debut it in 2027.
'It was quite a light show!' NASA astronaut spies dramatic fireball from the International Space Station (photos)
NASA astronaut Chris Williams photographed a fireball from above recently, capturing the stunning site from aboard the International Space Station.
Space junk cleanup tech that could 'shepherd' debris into Earth's atmosphere gets US patent
Astroscale's 2027 ISSA-J mission will mark the first attempt to inspect multiple spacecraft across different orbits in a single flight.
SpaceX plan for 1 million orbiting AI data centers could ruin astronomy, scientists say
SpaceX's plan to launch one million orbiting data centers to space worries astronomers, who say the satellite streaks caused by the proposed constellation would severely impair observations.
Incoming! 1,300-pound NASA satellite crashes back to Earth over eastern Pacific Ocean
NASA's Van Allen Probe A crashed to Earth on Wednesday morning (March 11) after nearly 14 years in orbit, according to the space agency. Most of the spacecraft likely burned up in the atmosphere.
Earth orbit is getting crowded. Can this map of 1 million routes around our planet help prevent satellite collisions?
Could we prevent in-orbit crashes in the future by using advanced computer models?
Can current space law handle the new space age?
A new proposal suggests borrowing the "Conference of the Parties" model from climate diplomacy to update space law before orbital congestion and lunar competition escalate.
