Major contributors to space debris include the explosion of upper stages and satellite collisions. [1]
There were 190 known satellite breakups between 1961 and 2006. [2] By 2015, the total had grown to 250 on-orbit fragmentation events. [3]
As of 2012 [update] there were an estimated 500,000 pieces of debris in orbit, [4] with 300,000 pieces below 2000 km (LEO). [1] Of the total, about 20,000 are tracked. [1] Also, about sixteen old Soviet nuclear space reactors are known to have released an estimated 100,000 NaK liquid metal coolant droplets 800–900 km up, [5] which range in size from 1 – 6 cm. [5]
The greatest risk to space missions is from untracked debris between 1 and 10 cm in size. [1] Large pieces can be tracked and avoided, and impact from smaller pieces are usually survivable. [1]
Object | Year | Pieces | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Fengyun-1C | 2007 | 3,549 | Intentional collision (ASAT) |
Kosmos 2251 | 2009 | 1,716 | Accidental collision with Iridium 33 |
Kosmos 1408 | 2021 | 1,562 | Intentional collision (ASAT) |
STEP 2 Rocket Body | 1996 | 756 | Residual propellant explosion |
Iridium 33 | 2009 | 659 | Accidental collision with Kosmos 2251 |
Kosmos 2421 | 2008 | 511 | Disintegrated[ citation needed ] |
SPOT 1 Rocket Body | 1986 | 506 | Residual propellant explosion |
Parus | 1981 | 482 | Battery explosion |
OV2-1 Rocket Body | 1965 | 473 | Engine explosion |
Nimbus 4 Rocket Body | 1970 | 465 | Residual propellant explosion |
NOAA-16 | 2015 | 458 | Battery explosion |
TES Rocket Body | 2001 | 373 | Residual propellant explosion |
CBERS 1 Rocket Body | 2000 | 344 | Residual propellant explosion |
Fregat tank | 2020 | 338 | Residual propellant explosion |
Ablestar | 1961 | 320 | Residual propellant explosion |
Delta 2910 | 1975 | 313 | Residual propellant explosion |
Solwind | 1985 | 289 | Intentional collision (ASAT) [7] |
Date | Object | International Designation | Cause | Total Pieces | Pieces in Orbit | Reentered Pieces as of Dec 2022 [lower-alpha 1] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
August 31, 2018 | Centaur V upper stage [8] | 2014-055B | Unknown [8] | 107 | 107 | 0 |
December 22, 2018 | ORBCOMM FM-16 [8] | 1998-046E | Energetic fragmentation; Probably caused by left over propellent [9] | 13 | 5 | 8 |
January 24, 2019 | Microsat-R [9] | 2019-006A | ASAT (Anti-Satellite) weapon system test [9] | 129 | 0 | 129 |
February 6, 2019 | H2-A 202 Rocket Body [8] | 2018-084L | Unknown; Third known breakup of an H-2A Rocket Body [8] | 6 | 0 | 6 |
February 6, 2019 | H2-A 202 Payload Adapter [8] | 2018-084E | Energetic fragmentation event; Cause Unknown [8] | 3 | 0 | 3 |
April 2019 | Centaur V Rocket Body [9] | 2018-079B | Energetic fragmentation event; Cause Unknown [9] | 193 | 192 | 1 |
May 7, 2019 | Titan IIIC Transtage rocket body [10] | 1976-023F | Energetic fragmentation event by caused the overheating of leftover anhydrous hydrazine(N2H4) Mono Propellant [10] | ? [lower-alpha 2] | ? | ? |
August 19, 2019 | SOZ (Sistema Obespecheniya Zapuska) ullage motor from a Proton Block DM fourth stage [10] | 2010-041H | Energetic fragmentation event; caused by left over fuel in the ullage motor. 30th fragmentation event of a SOZ unit. 34 intact units remain in orbit [10] | 23 | 23 | 0 |
August 13, 2019 | Ariane 42P third stage rocket body [10] | 1992-052D | Unknown [10] | 10 | 10 | 0 |
December 23, 2019 | Kosmos 2491 | 2013-076E | Unknown [11] [12] | ~20 | ~20 | 0 |
May 8, 2020 | Fregat tank [13] | 2011-037B | Unknown, possibly explosion [13] | 346 | 280 | 66 |
July 12, 2020 | H2-A 202 Fairing [13] | 2018-084C | Collision with untracked debris [13] | 123 | 5 | 118 |
March 18, 2021 | Yunhai-1 02 [14] | 2019-063A | Accidental collision with a fragment from the Zenit-2 rocket body that launched Tselina-2 in 1996. [14] | 39 | 20 | 19 |
November 15, 2021 | Kosmos 1408 | 1982-092A | ASAT (Anti-Satellite) weapon system test | 1787 | 394 | 1393 |
November 12, 2022 | Long March 6A upper stage | 2022-151B | Unknown [15] | 350 | 349 | 1 |
November 17, 2022 | H2-A 202 Payload fairing | 2012-025F | Energetic fragmentation event; Cause unknown [16] | 50+ | 50+ | 0 |
January 4, 2023 | Kosmos 2499 | 2014-028E | Unknown [12] | 85 | 85 | 0 |
March 11, 2023 | Orbcomm F36 | 1999-065E | Unknown; likely energetic fragmentation event caused by a malfunction in the hydrazine orbit adjust system [17] [18] | 7 | 7 | 0 |
August 21, 2023 | Vega VV02 VESPA adapter | 2013-021D | Unknown; likely debris impact [19] [20] | 7 | 7 | 0 |
June 26, 2024 | Resurs-P No.1 | 2013-030A | Unknown; likely Nudol ASAT target [21] | 100+ | 100+ | 0 |
Space debris are defunct human-made objects in space – principally in Earth orbit – which no longer serve a useful function. These include derelict spacecraft, mission-related debris, and particularly-numerous in-Earth orbit, fragmentation debris from the breakup of derelict rocket bodies and spacecraft. In addition to derelict human-made objects left in orbit, space debris includes fragments from disintegration, erosion, or collisions; solidified liquids expelled from spacecraft; unburned particles from solid rocket motors; and even paint flecks. Space debris represents a risk to spacecraft.
The Kessler syndrome, proposed by NASA scientist Donald J. Kessler in 1978, is a scenario in which the density of objects in low Earth orbit (LEO) due to space pollution is numerous enough that collisions between objects could cause a cascade in which each collision generates space debris that increases the likelihood of further collisions. In 2009, Kessler wrote that modeling results had concluded that the debris environment was already unstable, "such that any attempt to achieve a growth-free small debris environment by eliminating sources of past debris will likely fail because fragments from future collisions will be generated faster than atmospheric drag will remove them". One implication is that the distribution of debris in orbit could render space activities and the use of satellites in specific orbital ranges difficult for many generations.
The Satellite Catalog Number is a sequential nine-digit number assigned by the United States Space Command (USSPACECOM) in the order of launch or discovery to all artificial objects in the orbits of Earth and those that left Earth's orbit. The first catalogued object, catalog number 1, is the Sputnik 1 launch vehicle, with the Sputnik 1 satellite having been assigned catalog number 2.
This article outlines notable events occurring in 1995 in spaceflight, including major launches and EVAs.
Spacecraft collision avoidance is the implementation and study of processes minimizing the chance of orbiting spacecraft inadvertently colliding with other orbiting objects. The most common subject of spacecraft collision avoidance research and development is for human-made satellites in geocentric orbits. The subject includes procedures designed to prevent the accumulation of space debris in orbit, analytical methods for predicting likely collisions, and avoidance procedures to maneuver offending spacecraft away from danger.
The following is an outline of 1992 in spaceflight.
Orbcomm is a family of low Earth orbit communications satellites, operated by the United States satellite communications company Orbcomm. As of July 2014, 51 such satellites have orbited Earth, with 50 still continuing to do so.
Strictly speaking, a satellite collision is when two satellites collide while in orbit around a third, much larger body, such as a planet or moon. This definition is typically loosely extended to include collisions between sub-orbital or escape-velocity objects with an object in orbit. Prime examples are the anti-satellite weapon tests. There have been no observed collisions between natural satellites, but impact craters may show evidence of such events. Both intentional and unintentional collisions have occurred between man-made satellites around Earth since the 1980s. Anti-satellite weapon tests and failed rendezvous or docking operations can result in orbital space debris, which in turn may collide with other satellites.
On February 10, 2009, two communications satellites—the active commercial Iridium 33 and the derelict Russian military Kosmos 2251—accidentally collided at a speed of 11.7 km/s (26,000 mph) and an altitude of 789 kilometres (490 mi) above the Taymyr Peninsula in Siberia. It was the first time a hypervelocity collision occurred between two satellites; previous incidents had involved a satellite and a piece of space debris.
In 2015, the maiden spaceflights of the Chinese Long March 6 and Long March 11 launch vehicles took place.
This article documents notable spaceflight events during the year 2019.
This article documents notable spaceflight events during the year 2018. For the first time since 1990, more than 100 orbital launches were performed globally.
Kosmos 2499 was a Russian satellite orbiting the Earth, before breaking up on January 4, 2023.
Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by Starlink Services, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of American aerospace company SpaceX, providing coverage to over 75 countries. It also aims to provide global mobile broadband.
The year 2023 saw rapid growth and significant technical achievements in spaceflight. For the third year in a row, new world records were set for both orbital launch attempts (223) and successful orbital launches (211). The growth in orbital launch cadence can in large part be attributed to SpaceX, as they increased their number of launches from 61 in 2022 to 98 in 2023. The deployment of the Starlink satellite megaconstellation was a major contributing factor to this increase over previous years. This year also featured numerous maiden launches of new launch vehicles. In particular, SSLV, Qaem 100, Tianlong-2, Chollima-1,and Zhuque-2 performed their first successful orbital launch, while SpaceX's Starship – the world's largest rocket – launched two times during its development stage: IFT-1 and IFT-2.
The Qased rocket is an Iranian expendable small-lift orbital space launch vehicle. It made its maiden flight in 2020, lofting Iran's first military satellite named Noor into orbit.
Kosmos-1408 was an electronic signals intelligence (ELINT) satellite operated by the Soviet Union. It was launched into low Earth orbit on 16 September 1982 at 14:55 UTC, replacing Kosmos-1378. It operated for around two years before becoming inactive and left in orbit.
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