L36-21/22 | Air and Space Power Centre

L36

Overview

What is space debris and why is it an issue?

Key Terms

Space Debris

Any human-made object in orbit about the Earth that no longer serves a useful function.

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NASA - Space Debris

Low earth orbit (LEO) is an orbital space junk yard. There are millions of pieces of space junk flying in LEO. Most orbital debris comprises human-generated objects, such as pieces of space craft, tiny flecks of paint from a spacecraft, parts of rockets, satellites that are no longer working, or explosions of objects in orbit flying around in space at high speeds.