Overview
Space debris encompasses any human-made object in Earth orbit that is no longer operational, including defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, fragments from collisions, and even small pieces of paint or hardware.
Examples:
- Inactive satellites
- Spent rocket stages
- Fragments from collisions or disintegration
- Solidified liquids expelled from spacecraft
- Unburned particles from solid rocket motors
- Paint flecks
- Bits and pieces of inactive satellites, the rockets that carry them into space, debris from missiles, and detritus left behind by astronauts
The primary concern is the high risk of collisions between space debris and operational spacecraft, which can cause damage, mission interruption, or even satellite destruction.
Key Terms
Space Debris
Any human-made object in orbit about the Earth that no longer serves a useful function.