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Space Junk

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

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Flowering tree branches delicately frame the partial lunar eclipse of April 25, 2013, in Ohrid, Macedonia. Photo provided by astrophotographer Stojan Stojanovski.

Watch Live @ 2:40 pm ET! See the Half-Blood Lunar Eclipse Webcast by Slooh

By SPACE.com Staff

The online observatory Slooh.com hosted a live webcast of the last lunar eclipse of 2019 today (July 16) and you can watch it live beginning at 2:40 p.m. EDT (1840 GMT).

A stack of Starlink satellites being prepared for launch. A five percent failure rate for the first set of 60 satellite has heightened concerns that megaconstellations could leave hundreds of dead satellites in long-lived orbits.

Starlink Failures Highlight Space Sustainability Concerns

By Jeff Foust

The failure of at least five percent of the first batch of SpaceX Starlink satellites has put a spotlight on the growing concerns with dead satellites in low Earth orbit.

A magentotorquer being melted as part of a European Space Agency project aimed at building spacecraft parts that are less prone to reaching Earth in large pieces at the end of a satellite's life.

Watch Scientists Melt a Satellite Part to See How Stuff Burns Up During Reentry

By Elizabeth Howell

European researchers melted a dense satellite part in a special space fire created in a lab in hopes of better protecting people on Earth from falling debris as satellites re-enter our atmosphere.

Artist's illustration of the OSCaR cubesat, which would clean up space junk in Earth orbit.

Meet OSCaR: Tiny Cubesat Would Clean Up Space Junk

By Mike Wall

A little spacecraft could soon make a big contribution in the fight against space junk.

Artist's illustration of Intelsat's IS-29E satellite in orbit.

A Communications Satellite Just Died in Orbit. It's Potentially Dangerous Space Junk Now

By Leonard David

Luxembourg-based Intelsat reports that its Intelsat 29E satellite (IS-29E) is now a total loss, after having reported earlier that the spacecraft suffered an anomaly.

Circles mark individual fragments of debris, in a fixed image taken on March 27.

Rocket Stage Launched 10 Years Ago Disintegrates into Trail of Space Junk (Video)

By Mindy Weisberger

The breakup created a cloud of space debris.

Lots of space debris is orbiting Earth, including non-functional satellites.

This 'Empty Trash Bag' Is Orbiting Earth in a Very Strange Way

By Stephanie Pappas

A lightweight object resembling an empty trash bag is winging around Earth in a truly bizarre orbit.

e.Deorbit mission test

European Space Junk Cleanup Concept Gets New Mission: Refuel and Repair

By Tereza Pultarova

ESA's Columbus module

Europe's Space Station Module Has Hundreds of Tiny Dents from 'Marauding' Debris

By Elizabeth Howell

Meteor Trail Over Lake Tahoe 4

A Dazzling Fireball Over California Thrilled Skywatchers This Week! See the Photos.

By Mike Wall

Lots of people got to admire, and puzzle over, the fireball that blazed up off the coast of Northern California just after sunset on Wednesday (Dec. 19).

Meteor Over San Francisco

Brilliant Fireball in California Leaves Twisted Trail Over San Francisco (Photos)

By Mike Wall

A fireball lit up the sky over the San Francisco Bay Area shortly after sunset Wednesday (Dec. 19), leaving an odd, wind-twisted trail in its violent wake.

cubesats

Tiny Satellites Pose a Swarm of Opportunities — And Threats

By Meghan Bartels

Spaceflight favors big rockets and small technology — but when that technology gets small enough, it may act very differently from traditional satellites and spacecraft.

sso-a mission art

Cluttering the Space Commons? Upcoming SpaceX Launch Irks Orbital Debris Experts

By Leonard David

Space-junk experts are raising a red flag about the upcoming launch of more than 60 small satellites atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

RemoveDebris mission

At Small Satellite Conference, Frustration About Lagging Efforts to Deal With Space Junk

By Sandra Erwin

A Rocket Lab Electron rocket launched the company's first commercial mission, nicknamed "It's Business Time," on Nov. 10, 2018 (Nov. 11 New Zealand Time) from a launch pad on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand.

Rocket Lab's 1st Commercial Launch in Pictures: 'It's Business Time'!

By Tariq Malik

Rocket Lab Launches Business Time

It's Business Time! Rocket Lab Lofts 6 Satellites on 1st Commercial Launch

By Mike Wall

Spaceflight startup Rocket Lab launched its first operational mission Saturday night, successfully lofting six small satellites as well as a technology demonstrator.

Astroscale's ELSA-d spacecraft

Orbital Debris Removal Company Astroscale Raises $50 Million

By Jeff Foust

Astroscale, a company developing technologies to capture and deorbit space debris, announced Oct. 31 it raised a $50 million Series D round that brings its total to date to $102 million.

What would you do if you saw this thing in your walnut orchard?

This Hunk of Metal Fell From Space and Landed in California

By Rafi Letzter

Iridium 70 fell out of orbit Oct. 10. A few days later, one of its fuel tanks caused a stir in central California.

RemoveDebris spacecraft net

Watch a Satellite Net a Cubesat in Awesome Space Junk Cleanup Test

By Tereza Pultarova

A satellite in space has fired a net at a target to test active space-junk-cleanup technology, and the video is amazing.

Soyuz MS-09 at Space Station

Space Station Leak All Patched Up Now, NASA Says

By Mike Wall

The repair job astronauts conducted on the International Space Station (ISS) yesterday (Aug. 30) appears to be complete.