Space Junk
Orbital Debris is Getting Out of Control
In 1978, NASA scientists Donald J. Kessler and Burton G. Cour-Palais proposed a scenario where the density of objects in…
Space Debris From Every Angle
Near-Earth space is an orbiting junkyard of space debris. Everything from old rocket parts and pieces of dead satellites to…
This is an Actual Picture of Space Debris
Space debris is a growing problem, so companies are working on ways to mitigate it. A new satellite called ADRAS-J…
NASA Confirms that a Piece of its Battery Pack Smashed into a Florida Home
NASA is in the business of launching things into orbit. But what goes up must come down, and if whatever…
Watch a Satellite Reaction Wheel Melt in a Simulated Orbital Re-Entry
Most satellites share the same fate at the end of their lives. Their orbits decay, and eventually, they plunge through…
See the Dramatic Final Moments of the Doomed ERS-2 Satellite
When a satellite reaches the end of its life, it has only two destinations. It can either be maneuvered into…
Space Junk is Going to be a Problem for Vera Rubin
The Vera Rubin Observatory (VRO) is different than other large telescopes, and that difference makes it more vulnerable to space…
99% of Space Junk is Undetectable. That Could Change Soon
Private and military organizations are tracking some of the 170 million pieces of space junk orbiting the planet, but they're…
ESA Plans to Eliminate New Space Debris by 2030
What can we do about space junk? We know how much debris is in orbit, and we know the problem…
Oops. Astronauts Lost a Tool Bag During a Spacewalk!
I know for a fact it’s one of the most annoying things that can happen. I’ve done it lots; whether…