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Space Waste

Trash isn’t a problem only here on Earth. It can cause big trouble up in space too. 

November 18, 2024
By Talia Cowen

As You Read, Think About: What are some ways space junk could be a threat to people?

In March, a mysterious object ripped through the roof of a home in Naples, Florida. Luckily, no one was hurt. 

The object was about the size of a smartphone. It turned out to be an old piece of equipment from the International Space Station (ISS). Astronauts on the giant space laboratory had released it into space three years earlier. In other words, it was space junk.

You can’t tell by looking at the sky, but space is littered with trash. That includes nonworking satellites, rocket parts, and even paint chips from old spacecraft. 

The chances of space waste harming us on Earth are low. But all that junk could cause serious damage up in space. 

Piling Up

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In October 1957, a country called the Soviet Union sent the first human-made satellite into space. It was called Sputnik 1. The U.S. launched its first satellite a few months later. In 1961, a Soviet spacecraft carried the first astronaut beyond Earth. 

Since then, hundreds more astronauts have traveled into space. And scientists have sent thousands of satellites to orbit, or circle, the planet. Some satellites take pictures of our solar system. Several help scientists predict the weather on Earth. Others enable us to make phone calls around the world. 

Satellites and other objects sent to space don’t stay in use forever. Over time, most break apart and burn up in Earth’s atmosphere. A few reach the surface, like the object that crashed into the Florida home. But most of what makes it through the atmosphere falls into the ocean. There’s no record of anyone being hurt by space junk. 

Some waste could end up in space for centuries. NASA, the U.S. space agency, estimates that more than 100 million pieces of junk are currently orbiting our planet.

Crash Course

Space trash can be dangerous. It zips around Earth at more than 17,000 miles per hour. At such speeds, even a scrap of metal the size of a penny can cause major damage.

“It’s like a really, really fast car that can bump into anything,” says NASA’s Charity Weeden. “You can’t control it.”

Space junk is a threat to the thousands of working satellites circling the planet. It’s also a danger for the astronauts living on the ISS. Earlier this year, an old satellite nearby broke into more than 100 pieces. Nine astronauts had to take shelter. As more satellites are launched, the chances of collisions increase. 

Cleaning Up Space

NASA and other agencies are working to tackle the problem. They use surveillance systems to track trash. That allows them to react when debris poses a threat. For instance, about once a year, astronauts have to maneuver the ISS to dodge trash. 

Also, some companies are looking for ways to get rid of space junk. A company called Astroscale is working on a giant robotic arm. It would pull trash toward Earth’s atmosphere, where it would burn up. 

Weeden says future space missions could be at risk if we don’t act now.

“It’s really important that we get a handle on the amount of space junk up there,” she says. “If not, it’s going to affect our ability to explore.” 

Tracking Trash

Here are a few of the countless objects that became space junk over the years. 

NASA

Oldest Junk

In March 1958, the U.S. launched a satellite called Vanguard 1. More than 65 years later, it’s still in space! The satellite is the oldest piece of space junk orbiting Earth.

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Get a Grip! 

In June 1965, Edward H. White II became the first American astronaut to complete a spacewalk. While he was outside his spacecraft, White lost one of his gloves. It floated in space for about a month before burning up in Earth’s atmosphere.

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Missing Tools

Last November, two astronauts were making repairs outside the International Space Station. Their tool bag floated away. It was an expensive mistake. The bag and tools inside were worth about $100,000! 

1. Based on the article, how did so much debris end up in space?

2. Describe two ways people are trying to tackle the problem of space waste.

3. What is the purpose of the sidebar, “Tracking Trash”?

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