NASA confirms that the object that crashed into a house in Florida was indeed space debris from the ISS. Satellites are burning up in the upper atmosphere – and we still don’t know what impact this will have on the Earth’s climate. Space pollution threatens the Earth’s magnetosphere; the deposition of highly conductive materials can reduce the planet’s protective capabilities, an expert says.
There are millions of pieces of debris orbiting the Earth. The space industry is one of the largest sectors of the world economy. Thus, in 2022, its volume on the international market amounted to about $469 billion (this figure did not stop growing in subsequent years). And despite the large number of difficulties associated with conquering the Universe, one of the main ones remains tiny space debris. As more and more objects are put into orbit, the likelihood of them colliding with the junk rotating there increases.
Space debris, photo by NASA
And given that cleaning up near-Earth space is expensive and requires the participation of all the world’s leading economies, the fight against debris is constantly being postponed. In other words, while it is possible to launch new spacecraft and avoid collisions with foreign objects in orbit, the motivation to undertake such an expensive and complex initiative remains extremely low.
Currently, the United States Space Surveillance Network is tracking more than 23,000 pieces of space debris larger than a tennis ball. In general, in near-Earth orbit there are about 29 thousand “garbage objects” larger than 10 cm, 670 thousand larger than 1 cm, and more than 170 million pieces whose size exceeds 1 mm. Overall, experts believe there are about 100 trillion untraceable pieces of space junk in Earth’s orbit.
The danger of space debris in orbit
In 2016, the European Space Agency showed a photograph of a dent in the glass window of the ISS, which was caused by a collision with a tiny piece of space junk. This is due to the speed at which the debris rotates: according to existing data, objects at the height of the ISS move at a speed of about 25,200 km/h. This value is 10 times higher than the rate at which bullets fly out of a gun on Earth. It turns out that even the smallest object in the orbit of the planet poses a danger to astronauts and to aircraft in operation. Experts compare it to driving on a highway: as long as the objects are moving in the same direction, there is no particular danger. They are unlikely to touch each other and cause serious damage. However, if two objects collide at high speed, disastrous consequences cannot be avoided.
Space debris is one indicator of humanity’s growing presence in low Earth orbit (LEO). In 1967, the Russian satellite Sputnik was the only man-made object in space large enough to be tracked. According to the European Space Agency, in 2018, space debris remnants amounted to about 750,000 objects larger than 1 cm (0.3 in) orbiting the Earth.
ESA estimated in April 2024 that there are about 36,500 pieces of space debris at least 4 inches (10 centimeters) wide and more than 130 million pieces with a diameter of at least 1 millimeter in Earth orbit. Even such tiny fragments can cause damage to satellites and the International Space Station (ISS), given the associated speeds. In orbit around the ISS, at an altitude of about 250 miles (400 kilometers), objects move at speeds of about 17,500 mph (28,160 km/h)—much faster than any bullet.
Satellites, spacecraft and pieces of space debris orbit the planet in many different directions: some move horizontally along the equator, others move vertically along the poles, and some debris moves in retrograde motion. Chaotic space motion, combined with a large number of objects launched into orbit, increases the risk of collision between vehicles and makes the conquest of the Universe more dangerous. Some experts even believe that ignoring the problem could lead to humanity losing the opportunity to somehow interact with outer space: the view of the stars will be blocked, satellites will crash before they complete their mission.
“Dead Satellites”
In the predawn hours of February 28, 2024, the dead Russian spy satellite Cosmos 2221 and NASA’s TIMED spacecraft, which has been studying Earth’s atmosphere since 2001, made an uncomfortably close orbital pass, coming within just 65 feet (20 meters) of each other. At least that was the initial estimate. According to NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, further research showed that the objects were actually even closer.
“We recently learned through analysis that the passage appeared to be less than 10 meters (33 feet) apart—within the rigid body parameters of both satellites,” Melroy said April 9 during a presentation at the 39th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. . “It was very shocking for us personally and also for all of us at NASA,” she said, adding that the meeting “really scared us all.”
She explained the concern: “If the two satellites collided, we would see significant debris production – tiny fragments moving at tens of thousands of miles per hour, waiting to blow a hole in another spacecraft, potentially putting human lives at risk.”
In August 2021, the Chinese military satellite Yunhai-1-02 was shot down by a piece of space debris, apparently a piece of debris from the Zenit-2 rocket that launched the Russian Tselina-2 spy satellite in 1996.
According to the European Space Agency (ESA), there are currently about 11,500 satellites orbiting our planet, of which 9,000 are operational. By the way, more than half of these functional ships are part of SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network; The ever-growing megaconstellation currently consists of nearly 5,800 satellites.
Burning satellites in the atmosphere affect the Earth’s climate
Relatively low-Earth orbit, where the satellites that monitor Earth’s ecosystems reside, is becoming increasingly congested, with Starlink alone having more than 5,000 spacecraft in orbit. Therefore, debris cleanup is a priority for the space sector. Newly launched spacecraft must also be removed from orbit within 25 years (the US recently introduced a stricter five-year rule), either by moving up into a so-called “graveyard orbit” or by reentering Earth’s atmosphere.
Satellites in lower orbit are typically designed to use remaining fuel and Earth’s gravity to re-enter the atmosphere. In a controlled reentry, the spacecraft enters the atmosphere at a predetermined time and lands at the outermost part. Pacific Ocean at Point Nemo (the so-called spaceship graveyard). During uncontrolled reentry, spacecraft undergo “natural death” and burn up in the atmosphere.
NASA and the European Space Agency promote this form of recycling as part of a design philosophy called “design to destroy.” Building, launching and operating a satellite that is robust enough to operate in the hostile environment of outer space, but can easily break apart and burn up upon re-entry, is an environmental challenge to avoid sending dangerous debris to the Earth’s surface. The work is still ongoing. Before being licensed, satellite operators must prove that their design and re-entry plans have a low “loss of life” rate. But there is limited concern about the impact on Earth’s upper atmosphere during reentry.
Initially, neither the space sector nor astrophysicists considered the combustion of satellites upon re-entry to be a serious threat to the environment – at least not to the atmosphere. After all, the amount of particles ejected by spacecraft is small compared to the 440 tons of meteorites that enter the atmosphere every day along with volcanic ash and man-made pollution from industrial processes on Earth.
Scientists’ concerns are based on 40 years of research into the causes of ozone holes over the south and north poles, which were first widely observed in the 1980s. Today they know that ozone loss is caused by man-made industrial gases that combine with natural and very high-altitude polar stratospheric clouds or nacreous clouds. The surfaces of these ethereal clouds act as catalysts, converting harmless chemicals into more active forms that can quickly destroy ozone.
Even more worrying for atmospheric scientists, just a few new particles could create more of these types of polar clouds—not just in the upper atmosphere, but also in the lower atmosphere where cirrus clouds form. Cirrus clouds are thin, wispy ice clouds that can be seen high in the sky, at an altitude of more than six kilometers. They tend to let the sun’s heat through, but then trap it as it exits, so theoretically, more cirrus clouds could lead to additional global warming on top of what we already see from greenhouse gases. But this is unclear and is still being studied.
It’s tempting to exaggerate research findings to gain more support. But this is a recipe for research hell, and deniers will use bad results later to discredit the research. But if you wait until there is hard evidence, it may be too late, as in the case of ozone loss. It’s a constant dilemma.
Space pollution threatens Earth’s magnetosphere
The deposition of highly conductive materials could reduce the planet’s protective capabilities, an expert says. As the space industry moves toward exponential growth driven by insatiable demand for satellite Internet services, a major challenge arises: the disposal of decommissioned spacecraft.
More than a year of research by plasma physicist, engineer and inventor Sierra Salter, published in the journal Science, has revealed an alarming reality: the uncontrolled accumulation of metal debris from failed satellites and rockets threatens to disrupt Earth’s fragile plasma environment.
Contrary to popular belief, space is not an empty place devoid of consequences. The Earth’s magnetosphere, vital to supporting life by preserving the atmosphere, is under unprecedented threat. Launching disposable satellites, seen by space entrepreneurs as a path to enormous wealth, poses an existential threat.
Dr. Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics predicts a staggering increase in the number of “dead” satellites, potentially reaching 100,000 within a decade and a half (there are currently about 10,000). This comes at a frightening cost – saturation of the Earth’s plasma cocoon with toxic debris.
Salter’s careful analysis reveals an alarming truth: the current influx of metallic ash into the ionosphere is equivalent to the volume of the Eiffel Tower. The consequences of this go beyond simple atmospheric disturbance – the deposition of highly conductive materials can cause disturbances in the ionosphere, threatening the ozone layer and reducing the Earth’s habitability over time.
Amid the push for space exploration and colonization, Salter calls for accountability. Space companies must prioritize rigorous research to assess the environmental impact of their activities. According to Salter, the Earth’s magnetosphere, our shield against cosmic dangers, should not be sacrificed on the altar of corporate profit.
Space debris may not burn up in the atmosphere when falling to Earth
NASA confirms that the object that crashed into a house in Florida was indeed space debris from the ISS. It was part of a pallet discarded along with 5,800 pounds of obsolete batteries back in March 2021. NASA has confirmed that the mysterious object that crashed through the roof of a Florida home in March did indeed come from the International Space Station (ISS).
This house in the seaside city of Naples belongs to Alejandro Otero. Shortly after the March 8 incident, Otero stated that he believed the offending object was part of a cargo pallet containing 5,800 pounds (2,630 kg) of obsolete batteries dropped from the ISS in March 2021.
The cylindrical piece of space junk is made of a metal alloy called Inconel. It weighs 1.6 pounds (0.7 kg) and measures 4 inches (10 centimeters) high and 1.6 inches (4 cm) wide. The nickel hydride batteries were discarded after new lithium-ion versions were delivered to the ISS for power upgrades. The tray and batteries were expected to burn up completely in Earth’s atmosphere, NASA officials said in a release today, but that didn’t happen, and the agency wants to find out why.
A recovered NASA flight support equipment rack used to mount the International Space Station’s batteries onto a cargo pallet. The strut survived re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere on March 8, 2024, and crashed into a house in Naples, Florida. (Image credit: NASA)
NASA scientists use engineering models to estimate how objects heat up and break apart as they re-enter the atmosphere; these models require detailed input parameters and are regularly updated when debris is found to have survived re-entry into the atmosphere. Otero’s experience serves as a reminder that there is a huge amount of hardware flying around our heads.
Some space debris falls back to Earth from time to time. For example, the 23-ton core stages of China’s powerful Long March 5B rocket regularly fall out of control about a week after launch, to the consternation of the international space community.
Chinese space debris crashed to Earth over Southern California, creating a spectacular fireball. The flaming debris appears to be an orbital module of China’s Shenzhou 15 astronaut mission, launched in November 2022. In the early hours of April 2, 2024, a large piece of Chinese space debris fell to Earth over Southern California, creating quite a spectacle for observers in the Golden State. According to the American Meteor Society (AMS), the impact created a blazing fireball that was witnessed by people from Sacramento to San Diego. As of Tuesday afternoon, 81 people had reported seeing the event to AMS.
The Shenzhou Orbital Module, which weighs about 3,300 pounds (1,500 kilograms), provides additional space for astronauts and scientific experiments in space. It is not designed to return safely to Earth upon completion of its mission; For this purpose, the Shenzhou return module with astronauts on board was created.
Of course, most people who saw the fireball streak across the sky around 1:40 a.m. local California time (4:40 a.m. ET; 08:40 GMT) didn’t know what it was.
Casey B. took this photo of the fireball from San Diego on April 2, 2024 and sent it to the American Meteor Society. (Image credit: Casey B./American Meteor Society)
Some thought it could be a piece of SpaceX equipment, and it was a reasonable guess: a Falcon 9 rocket launched 22 Starlink internet satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base on California’s central coast about six hours ago. The burning debris could not have been the Falcon 9’s first stage; this piece of equipment lands safely after launch and is reused. But the upper stage of a working rocket is disposable. The Shenzhou 15 orbiter was not the first large piece of Chinese space junk to crash dramatically to Earth.
Ways to combat space debris
One of the main problems with space debris is that it is very difficult to keep track of. Because of this, scientists do not always know where the potential danger is. One of the easiest ways to overcome this crisis is to track everything in orbit. This, for example, is what the company Privateer does: it tracks more than 27 thousand of the largest pieces of space debris in real time. Thanks to these data, the likelihood of objects colliding in space is reduced, which, in turn, leads to a reduction in the trash polluting the orbit (large pieces of debris are not broken into small ones, as a result of which near space remains clean).
Although this system is very useful, it has some weaknesses, the main one being its lack of accuracy. The fact is that most space debris objects are too small and cannot be tracked. In addition, avoiding a collision, even if it was possible to track the threat, is not always possible. Moving satellites in space and changing their trajectory is very expensive. Each such maneuver costs companies thousands of dollars. And sometimes satellites can’t be moved without shutting down some space-monitoring systems. In the case of research vehicles, this means irreparable costs and loss of valuable data.
The easiest way to get rid of space debris is to burn it in the Earth’s atmosphere. To do this, a dangerous object must be grabbed and moved from orbit to a zone where gravity acts, space debris will begin to fall and, like a meteorite, will burn in the upper layers of the atmosphere. In order to carry out such an operation, a special machine is needed: it must capture debris and lower it to Earth. According to Jan Siminski, a space debris specialist at the European Space Agency, the development of such a device would cost about €100 million (about $108 million).
Despite all this, the European Space Agency announced the world’s first mission to remove space debris, setting it for 2025. The Swiss startup ClearSpace is responsible for the operation. The “cleaner” they developed is somewhat reminiscent of a claw: it grabs large pieces of trash, slowing down and stabilizing their movement, after which it falls to Earth, dissolving along with space debris.
Another possible way to get rid of debris is to evaporate it or move it from its original orbit using a laser. Domestic experts from the Institute of Applied Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IPF, Nizhny Novgorod) propose placing a similar cannon on the ISS to protect the station from the most dangerous particles of trash. However, you need to be extremely careful with this technology: the laser power must be selected very precisely so as not to break large pieces into smaller ones and, as a result, more difficult to eliminate. In addition, the laser will not help get rid of junk in orbit, but will only protect existing machines in space from damage.
Eco-friendly spacecraft
Japanese scientists have long been working on creating the world’s first wooden satellite. In order to build an environmentally friendly device, they tested various types of wood and came to the conclusion that magnolia was perfect for the given purposes. After samples of this plant were in orbit (they were in outer space for nine months), no traces remained on them. Vacuum and radiation did not destroy the promising material. This makes wood suitable for creating satellite hulls and parts and an excellent alternative to metal.
After the scientists’ hypothesis was confirmed and the magnolia was considered suitable for further work, researchers from Kyoto University, together with the logging company Sumitomo Forestry, created an environmentally friendly replacement for existing spacecraft that can be disposed of without harm to the environment. When a wooden satellite burns, less toxic aluminum oxide will be formed, which can linger in the upper atmosphere for many years.
In 2011, ESA ended the mission of its European Remote Sensing Satellite (ERS-2), which had been in operation for over 16 years. During these operations, the remaining orbital life was significantly reduced from over 200 years to well below 15 years, and all remaining fuel was consumed. ERS-2 returned to the atmosphere on February 21, 2024. This effectively reduced the risks of collision and accidental destruction by orders of magnitude.
In 2013, ESA’s astronomical satellites Planck and Herschel, located at the second Lagrange point, were placed into orbit around the Sun after completing their missions to avoid posing a collision threat or reentry hazard.
In 2015, major orbital change maneuvers were implemented for ESA’s Integral spacecraft and one of the satellites of the Cluster-2 mission. These maneuvers ensured that Integral and all four cluster spacecraft would return safely to Earth’s atmosphere within the next decade and avoid long-term interference with protected low-Earth orbit and geostationary orbit.
And in 2023, ESA successfully completed the first artificial reentry of its Aeolus mission. Aeolus was designed to meet pre-existing debris mitigation requirements and was not intended to be managed upon re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. But ESA operators went further, performing a first-of-its-kind artificial re-entry and pointing the returning satellite towards the ocean, further reducing the very small chance that the fragments would cause harm if any of them reached the Earth’s surface.
Hardware destruction of space debris
In 2018, a harpoon system for catching space debris was tested. RemoveDEBRIS – was launched from the International Space Station (ISS). In September, it will begin simulating tests to remove space debris, after which it will move on to real work. The satellite used a net and a harpoon to try to clear away several thousand pieces of debris currently orbiting the Earth. Guiding the net and harpoon was an Airbus-built visual navigation system (VBN), which is equipped with 2D cameras and 3D LiDAR technology.
Surrey Space Centre. Shooting at about 44 miles per hour (20 meters per second), the RemoveDEBRIS net targets its prey approximately 23 feet (7 meters) away. Once captured, the net will be sent into the atmosphere, where the pair should burn to ashes upon re-entry.
Detumbler – “Destroyer” has set off to cope with cosmic chaos. The new device, developed by Airbus, will be attached to satellites to help mitigate erratic movements, which will help future cleanup missions capture these satellites. With funding from the French Space Agency (CNES) and its Tech4SpaceCare initiative, Airbus has created a magnetic damping device called (unenthusiastically) the “Detumbler.”
Attached to the satellite, Detumbler, which was originally created back in 2021, uses a central rotor wheel and magnets to significantly interact with the Earth’s magnetic field and keep satellites stable after they have long since failed. When the satellite begins to tumble for any of the above reasons, the Detumbler is triggered and “causes eddy currents to act as a frictional torque, thereby weakening the motion.”
Airbus notes that Detumbler, which weighs just 100 grams, will make future missions like ClearSpace-1 easier by eliminating the chaotic element of a tumbling satellite. The first major test of Detumbler will take place in early 2024 on a mission developed by French aerospace company Exotrail. It will be attached to the Exo-0 nanosatellite, built by the Bulgarian aerospace company Endurostat. The mission is to perform a series of “stumbling” maneuvers to test the device’s ability to maintain satellite stability.
Updated ESA Policies and Requirements will reduce the amount of space debris
In 2002, the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) published the IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines, which served as the basis for the UN Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines. International standards for space debris mitigation have also been developed for the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and adopted by the European Community for Space Standardization (ECSS). These guidelines guarantee a level playing field for industrial competition and safe access to space in the future, and ESA experts regularly support their further development.
Updated ESA Policies and Requirements will reduce the amount of space debris generated by ESA activities. They came into force in November 2023 and also serve as the Agency’s first significant steps towards realizing the goal of the Zero Waste Charter. The new ESA Space Debris Mitigation Policy defines roles and responsibilities within ESA for space debris mitigation. But space is a global resource, and ESA’s actions alone will not be enough. ESA has adopted a “zero debris approach”, first outlined in the 2025 Agenda, which aims to significantly limit the generation of debris in Earth and lunar orbits by 2030 for all future Agency missions, programs and activities.
To encourage others to follow a similar path, ESA has also contributed to the preparation of the Zero Waste Charter. The Charter was developed by more than 40 different space sector stakeholders and is a global initiative that all space organizations can sign and commit to the common goal of a waste-free future.
The policy explains how ESA’s space debris mitigation requirements (see below) apply to all missions procured and managed by ESA. It also introduces a Space Debris Mitigation Review Board, which will advise ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher on activities that may not be compliant, such as extending existing missions.
The new ESA Space Debris Mitigation Requirements build on the existing European system, in place since 2014, and introduce a number of additional requirements.
These include:
— the duration of the low-Earth orbit removal phase has been reduced from 25 to a maximum of five years, with additional consideration of the overall risk of mission collision with space debris during this removal phase and more stringent requirements for satellite constellations;
— the probability of successful destruction should be more than 90%, while the requirements for large groups are becoming more stringent;
— space objects operating in protected orbital regions not classified as “low risk” must be equipped with interfaces to facilitate maintenance by an active debris removal mission in the event of an in-orbit failure;
The requirements introduce a new set of requirements related to collision avoidance and space traffic coordination, based on current best practices such as collision warning response times. Two new challenges related to the prevention of space debris in lunar orbits and interference with radio and optical astronomy are also being addressed with preliminary requirements that will continue to be developed in the coming years.
These include technologies for successful passivation—the depletion of all remaining energy sources at the end of a mission through engine combustion, fuel and/or pressure bleeding, battery depletion, and more. They also include active debris removal technologies—developing missions to remove larger pieces of space debris before they break up into clouds of hazardous debris, and developing interfaces for satellites to facilitate their removal during such missions.
Meanwhile, ESA is also developing technologies for use on the ground and in orbit to improve our ability to track and monitor space debris, such as using lasers to identify and perhaps even remove small debris objects.
ESA’s laser station in Tenerife shines a green laser into the sky
In November 2023, ESA’s new Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines and Space Debris Mitigation Policy came into force. They set out stricter requirements for ESA missions that will significantly reduce the amount of extra debris they leave behind in orbit and create a framework for achieving space debris neutrality.
1) Guarantee of successful disposal
ESA missions must ensure the safe disposal of space objects by re-entry or recovery to a safe altitude with a success rate of greater than 90%. Missions should also include interfaces that would facilitate their removal from orbit if self-destruction fails.
2) Improvement of orbital clearance
The less time an object spends in orbit, the less likely it is to collide with another object and create new debris. The maximum time spent in protected low-Earth orbits at the end of life for new ESA missions has been reduced from 25 years to just five. There are also more stringent requirements for missions involving a constellation of satellites.
3) Avoid collisions in orbit
Collision avoidance – avoiding a potential collision with a satellite – is now a regular part of low-Earth orbit missions. Due to the sharp increase in space activity and the increasing amount of debris in orbit, the number of collision warnings received each week is also increasing. As the risk of collisions increases, better collision avoidance strategies need to be developed—using automation, space traffic coordination, new communications protocols, etc.
4) Avoid internal damage
There is a need to improve satellite health monitoring and implement robust passivation techniques to prevent satellites from being destroyed from the inside.
5) Prevention of intentional releases of space debris.
Intentional release of items such as protective caps, lens caps and missile fairings should be kept to a minimum.
6) Improved risk assessment of accidents on Earth
Standardized tools and methodologies must be developed to assess the risk of on-site incidents during re-entry of facilities, and to verify that the mission is properly designed to accommodate end-of-life fatalities.
7) Guarantee of dark and quiet skies.
Measures to minimize the impact of space objects on optical and infrared astronomy, as well as radio astronomy, must be identified and implemented to maintain dark and calm skies.
8) Outside protected areas
Other orbits, such as those used by Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) constellations and lunar orbits, should also be considered and protected to ensure their long-term sustainability. Tailored zero-debris guidelines should be formulated and applied beyond low-Earth orbit and geostationary orbit.