Orbital Debris

Small debris fragments in orbit can threaten spacecraft safety and prompt contingency operations.

Articles about Orbital Debris

Space
Mirrors in Orbit, Darker Skies

Mirrors in Orbit, Darker Skies
A US start-up's bid to "sell sunlight after dark" by beaming reflected sunlight from thousands of orbital mirrors has prompted formal objections from astronomers and observatories…
Space
Van Allen Probe A's Uncontrolled Plunge

Van Allen Probe A's Uncontrolled Plunge
NASA's Van Allen Probe A plunged back into Earth's atmosphere this week years earlier than planned after solar-driven drag accelerated its decay. Officials say most of the 1,323-p…
Space
Nine Ways Space Can Kill You

Nine Ways Space Can Kill You
A scientist's guide to the nine most credible, documented hazards of spaceflight — from vacuum exposure and radiation to fires, debris strikes and psychological collapse — and the…
Space
China Launches Shijian-29 Test Satellites

China Launches Shijian-29 Test Satellites
A Long March-7A rocket placed Shijian-29A and 29B into orbit on 31 December 2025 to test space-target detection technologies. The mission continues China’s steady cadence of exper…
Space
The Case for Cleaning Up Space Junk

The Case for Cleaning Up Space Junk
As launches and constellations surge, broken satellites and fragments are crowding low Earth orbit. New research and agency reports lay out technical fixes, a circular economy app…
Space
China to Reclaim Damaged Shenzhou Capsule

China to Reclaim Damaged Shenzhou Capsule
China will send the damaged Shenzhou-20 return capsule back to Earth uncrewed for hands-on inspection after a suspected millimetre-scale debris strike cracked its window and force…