Whenever we send something into space, large parts of the shuttle are left behind. As well as this, old satellites decommission themselves eventually and remain in orbit. This is called space junk, and it’s becoming a problem.
With the rise in private space endeavors comes the correlated rise in space junk. As more satellites are fired into orbit, the denser the cloud of trash becomes.
Most of these pieces are tiny, with over 100 million bits of space junk larger than 1mm. Around 500,000 being between 1 and 10 cm are also in permanent orbit around the planet. Additionally, there are more than 25,000 objects larger than 10 cm known to exist. Thankfully, the largest, Katy Perry, has returned to earth. The combined weight comes to around 9,900 tons.
At present, we have around 2,000 active satellites orbiting the Earth. However, there are around 3,000 dead ones. These aren’t small, and there are more added every day. The process of putting them in Low Earth Orbit inevitably leaves space junk. The boosters and various parts of the rockets that take them up there fall off.
The average lifespan of a Starlink satellite is only five years. This means a lot of excess waste is left with every new deployment.
How Much Of A Problem Is Space Junk
We’re far from creating a Dyson Sphere of junk around ourselves, but there are some issues posed by the tons of junk in orbit around Earth. At present, it won’t pose a threat to anyone hoping to leave. But it does endanger other satellites.
Although they may seem tiny, those millions of 1mm bits of space junk are travelling at phenomenal speeds. There have been several cases in which a satellite has been struck by debris and completely destroyed. This causes something called Kessler Syndrome, in which one collision creates more debris, which goes on to create more risk and more collisions.
The ISS also sits in the Low Earth Orbit zone along with many satellites and debris. This means it has to constantly make adjustments to avoid being hit. A report in 2023 stated that the ISS has had to make a total of 32 maneuvers to avoid a collision. There is undoubtedly more on that list now. Despite its evasions, it has been struck multiple times.
The issue with space junk, now, isn’t catastrophic. However, predictions are not looking good. As space travel becomes more accessible and private enterprises fire everything and anything into space, the amount of space junk is growing by orders of magnitude.
At present, there is no way to clear space junk. We have typically been short-sighted.