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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The International Space Station as seen from a Soyuz crew capsule.

Space station to dodge Chinese space junk before SpaceX Crew-3 astronaut launch

By Amy Thompson published

The International Space Station will dodge a piece of Chinese space junk today (Nov. 10) just hours before SpaceX launches a new crew.

A Chinese Long March 3B rocket launches the military space debris mitigation satellite Shijian-21from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on Oct. 24, 2021.

China launches military satellite that will take aim at space junk

By Elizabeth Howell published

The launch was a 'complete success', although we don't know much about its mission yet.

An artist's concept depicting the near-Earth orbital debris field, based on real data from the NASA Orbital Debris Program Office.

Steve Wozniak's stealthy space startup Privateer hires chief scientific adviser

By Mike Wall published

Privateer aims to help humanity tackle its growing space-junk problem, and the startup has just hired one of the people who will lead this ambitious effort.

The fireball created by the dead Russian satellite Kosmos-2551 re-entering Earth’s atmosphere on Oct. 20, 2021, captured by Brian Stalsonburg from Comstock Park, Michigan.

Failed Russian spy satellite falls to Earth in brilliant fireball (video)

By Mike Wall published

A failed Russian spy satellite crashed back to Earth early this morning (Oct. 20), burning up in a brilliant fireball spotted by many observers in the American Midwest.

The galaxy GN-z11, which scientists think could be the farthest and oldest galaxy every observed, superimposed on an image from the COODS-North survey.

The oldest gamma-ray burst ever discovered was just a piece of space junk

By Tereza Pultarova published

A presumed discovery of a gamma-ray burst from the oldest known galaxy in the universe was in fact a reflection of sunlight from a spent rocket stage in Earth's orbit, a new paper found.

Apple computer company founder Steve Wozniak speaks at the Congress Meet the Future, Science & Technology Summit 2010 at the World Forum in The Hague on November 18, 2010.

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak wants to clean up space junk with new company

By Elizabeth Howell published

Steve Wozniak hopes to address the growing space junk problem in orbit.

ELSA-d released and successfully captured its experimental piece of space junk for the first time.

Astroscale's space junk removal satellite aces 1st orbital test

By Tereza Pultarova published

Astroscale's ELSA-d spacecraft has successfully captured a simulated piece of space junk in orbit.

An artist's illustration of SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites in orbit.

SpaceX Starlink satellites responsible for over half of close encounters in orbit, scientist says

By Tereza Pultarova published

SpaceX's Starlink satellites are involved in about 1,600 close encounters between two spacecraft in low Earth orbit every week, according to available data. That’s about 50% of all such incidents.

An artist's illustration of Aurora Propulsion Technologies' AuroraSat-1, a cubesat designed to demonstrate several space junk cleanup technologies. AuroraSat-1 is scheduled to launch atop a Rocket Lab Electron booster in late 2021.

Rocket Lab will launch a Finnish cubesat this year to test space junk cleanup tech

By Mike Wall published

A tiny cubesat called AuroraSat-1 will launch atop a Rocket Lab Electron booster in the fourth quarter of this year to demonstrate de-orbiting tech for small spacecraft.

An artist's concept depicting the near-Earth orbital debris field, based on real data from the NASA Orbital Debris Program Office.

Space collision: Chinese satellite got whacked by hunk of Russian rocket in March

By Mike Wall published

The partial breakup of China's Yunhai 1-02 military satellite on March 18 is no longer mysterious.

An artist's illustration of a Measat-3 communications satellite in orbit.

A Malaysian satellite has died in space and will meet a cold grave

By Elizabeth Howell published

A Malaysian satellite will settle into a graveyard orbit following a mysterious "anomaly" that struck it down in orbit.

The problem of "space junk" continues to grow.

Who's going to fix the space junk problem?

By Paul Sutter published

The growing problem of space junk poses a risk to future space missions, but the solution isn't going to be easy.

The image shows diagonal lines caused by the light reflected by a group of 25 Starlink satellites passing through the field of view of a telescope at Lowell Observatory in Arizona during observations of the NGC 5353/4 galaxy group on May 25, 2019.

Astronomers propose 'SatHub' to address growing threat of satellite megaconstellations

By Elizabeth Howell published

Some astronomers suggest setting up a "SatHub" to address the growing threat that satellite megaconstellations pose to the night sky — but funding and support are necessary to make it happen.

The research satellite Prospero is the only British spacecraft to launch on the British-built Black Arrow rocket.

Rocket start-up Skyrora wants to salvage an iconic UK satellite in space for museum display

By Tereza Pultarova published

U.K. rocket start-up Skyrora wants to collect the remains of the iconic British satellite Prospero from low Earth orbit and bring it to Earth to be displayed in a museum.

Russia's Progress 76 cargo resupply ship is pictured shortly after it departed the International Space Station on Feb. 9, 2021.

Russia says SpaceX Starlink satellite and space junk may narrowly miss Progress cargo ship in orbit

By Tereza Pultarova published

The Russian Progress MS-17 cargo ship, which launched toward the International Space Station on Tuesday (June 29), will come dangerously close to a Starlink satellite and a Falcon 9 rocket fragment.

ESA scientists simulated the burn-up during the atmospheric reentry of one of the bulkiest items aboard a typical satellite.

Plasma wind tunnel annihilates satellite model in atmospheric reentry test

By Mindy Weisberger published

Satellite parts that melt away during reentry reduce the risk of space debris impacts on Earth, a new video demonstrates.

A conceptual image illustrating space debris orbiting Earth.

New spacecraft sustainability rating targets space junk

By Tereza Pultarova published

New spacecraft sustainability rating will evaluate satellite missions based on responsible design with respect to protecting the orbital environment from the proliferation of space debris.

An illustration depicting the cluttered space debris around the Earth.

The world needs space junk standards, G7 nations agree

By Tereza Pultarova published

The western world's most advanced economies have agreed to take action against space debris at the G-7 Leaders' Summit in Cornwall, U.K.

These images from NASA and the Canadian Space Agency show the location of a space debris strike on the International Space Station's Canadarm2 robot arm spotted on May 12, 2021 and released on May 28.

Space station robotic arm hit by orbital debris in 'lucky strike' (video)

By Elizabeth Howell published

A piece of space junk smacked into the robotic arm on the International Space Station, but near-term operations should not be affected.

Astroscale cooperates with megaconstellation operator OneWeb on the development of commercial space debris removal technology.

Commercial space clean-up service could be ready in 2024

By Tereza Pultarova published

Space junk removal company Astroscale hopes to start commercially removing dead satellites from orbit in the next three years.