Space Debris

Astronomy and Society

The Hazards of Uncontrolled Reentries from Space

A recent study examines the risk posed to human life by reentering space debris as the number of rocket launches continues to grow.

Lunar impact site on the Moon's farside

Space Missions

Booster Set to Hit the Moon Turns Out to be Chinese Rocket (Updates)

The booster previously identified as SpaceX hardware turns out to be from the Chang’e 5-T1 mission. The timing and site of the impact remain the same.

ISS

Space Missions

Russia Conducts Antisatellite Test; Space Station Crew Takes Cover

A Russian missile struck a defunct satellite early Monday morning, forcing International Space Station crew to shelter in place.

Surveyor 2

Solar System

Earth's New "Minimoon" May be a 1960s-Era Rocket Booster

An object set to pass near Earth next month may in fact be a relic of the early Space Age.

Space Debris

Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson

Distant Space Debris a Threat to Satellites

New observations show we're not tracking a majority of debris in higher orbits.

OGO 1

Space Missions

Half-ton OGO 1 Spacecraft Set to Reenter

NASA's Orbiting Geophysical Observatory 1, a bus-sized relic of the early Space Age, is set to reenter in the coming week.

An arm to the sun

Space Missions

Does Starlink Pose a Space Debris Threat? An Expert Answers

SpaceX's Starlink satellites have come under heavy criticism for their potential to clutter the sky. Here's what a space debris expert has to say about it.

Indian ASAT Test

Space Missions

What India's Anti-Satellite Test Means for Space Debris

A recent anti-satellite missile test by India added hundreds of pieces of debris to an already cluttered low-Earth orbit.

MCAT

Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson

Unique Scope Searches for Space Junk

NASA's new remote observatory located on a windswept island in the mid-Atlantic provides a critical capability for tracking space junk.