Space junk apocalypse: 6 objects that can wreak havoc in Earth's orbit

Every year more and more space debris accumulates in the space around our planet – thousands of satellites and millions of pieces of space debris, out of control, spinning in low Earth orbit and colliding with each other, will create a real mess. Space.com presented the objects that experts believe pose the greatest danger in Earth orbit.

Near-Earth events have attracted media attention twice in the past month alone. On Jan. 27, two huge pieces of space debris – a large piece of the second stage of a Russian rocket and a long-defunct Russian satellite – were 20 feet apart. Fortunately, events did not follow the "worst-case scenario" and no collision occurred. Later, on Feb. 6, it was reported that in early January the Russian satellite broke into 85 fragments that were so large that they could be tracked from Earth.

1. Fragments of the Russian SL-16 rocket

Most of the space debris is left over from the Cold War and the 2000s. One of the remnants from that time, the SL-16, the second stage of the Russian Zenit rocket, weighs 9.9 tons, is 11 meters long and is probably the most dangerous piece of junk in low Earth orbit.

2. Russian SL-8 rocket parts and spy satellites left over from the Cold War

On Jan. 27, one of the debris that came close together was part of the second stage of Russia's SL-8 rocket, which weighs 1.54 tons. Between the 1960s and 1990s, it launched about 145 spy and communications satellites into space. The satellites, each weighing 800 kilograms and no longer in use, continue to pollute low Earth orbit.

3. Debris from a Chinese anti-satellite rocket

In 2007, low Earth orbit became the destination for another piece of space debris. This was a Chinese test rocket that struck the Fengyun spacecraft at about 29,000 km/h, shattering it into thousands of pieces. The impact scattered the fragments in different directions, contaminating Earth orbit. Some of these fragments were found up to 350-1700 km above the surface of the Earth.

4. Envisat and Landsat satellites

The Envisat satellite, launched by the European Space Agency to monitor the Earth, is considered one of the largest pieces of space debris. It orbits at an altitude of 800 kilometers and tops the list of objects of concern because of its enormous size. Envisat, which weighs about 8.8 tons, ceased operations in early 2012.

NASA has launched nine generations of its Landsat satellites since the 1970s, only two of which are still operational. Landsat satellites weighing between one and three tons orbit the Earth at an altitude of 700-900 kilometers. None of the already malfunctioning satellites have been successfully de-orbited at the end of their lives, adding to the space debris.

5. Hubble Space Telescope

The Hubble Space Telescope may continue to operate for another decade or more, but once the mission ends, it too could become space junk, a potential threat to both low Earth orbit and Earth itself.

The telescope weighs 12.4 tons and is heavier than Envisat and the upper stage of the SL-16 rocket. Hubble orbits relatively low, about 535 kilometers above Earth's surface, so it will probably only take a few years to return to Earth. However, because of its size, the telescope is unlikely to burn up completely upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, some parts may still reach Earth.

6. Too many satellites

According to LeoLabs, in the first 50 years after the Soviet Union launched the world's first satellite, Sputnik-1, in 1957, 10,000 active and active objects accumulated in low-Earth orbit. A new space revolution followed, and that number doubled in just 14 years. In 2022, there are more than 21,000 objects in this actively used region of space lately.

By the way, scientists of Armenia’s Byurakan Observatory are also engaged in monitoring of space debris in low Earth orbit, and thanks to their monitoring 700 orbits for artificial satellites were restored, thanks to which these satellites can avoid catastrophic collision with space debris.