Number of Space Debris Objects Reentering Earth Surges

The New York Times reports that the amount of space debris in Earth’s orbit is increasing rapidly. This is also leading to a rise in the number of artificial objects reentering the atmosphere each year.

The U.S. Space Force reportedly warned that around 820 space objects had reentered Earth’s atmosphere over the past 12 months. By comparison, there were only about 110 such cases 10 years ago. Experts attribute this growth mainly to SpaceX and other companies launching megaconstellations consisting of thousands of satellites into orbit.

According to the European Space Agency (ESA), space objects larger than one meter reenter Earth’s atmosphere on average once a week. Most objects burn up completely due to friction in the upper layers of the atmosphere.

At the same time, scientists note that some rocket stages and parts of satellites made from high-temperature-resistant alloys such as titanium, stainless steel, or Inconel may not burn up completely. Such fragments could reach Earth’s surface, although these incidents are extremely rare.

Experts say the risk to people on Earth is currently very low. Nearly 75% of Earth’s surface is covered by water, and much of the debris falls into the oceans. However, as the number of spaceflights and satellites continues to grow, monitoring space debris and safely removing it from orbit will remain an increasingly important task in the future.