space-junk - Briefly

A hunk of junk from the International Space Station hurtles back to Earth

Some debris from International Space Station reentered atmosphere after almost 3 years in orbit, likely disintegrated.

Risk of space junk reaching Earth's surface noted by agencies monitoring the situation. [ more ]

Ars Technica

Rocket Report: Starliner launch preps; Indian rocket engine human-rated

2024 shaping up to be an exciting year for spaceflight community

Astroscale launched a satellite to approach and inspect space junk in orbit. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

Japan to launch world's first wooden satellite to combat space pollution

Japanese scientists created a timber satellite called LignoSat using magnolia wood for environmentally friendly space exploration.

Wooden satellites could offer a sustainable alternative to metal satellites, as wood proved to be stable and resistant to space conditions during experiments on the ISS. [ more ]

Mail Online

3 months ago

Shocking map reveals the 15,694lbs of junk piling up on Mars

Space junk is accumulating on Mars, including debris from past spacecraft like the Ingenuity helicopter.

There is an estimated 15,694 lbs of human trash on Mars, equivalent to the weight of a fully-grown African elephant. [ more ]

www.scientificamerican.com

1 month ago

Did Space Junk Strike a Home in Florida?

Space junk from ISS hit a home in Florida, raising concerns about human-made debris cluttering Earth's orbit. [ more ]

Theregister

5 months ago

Tiny space junk may reveal itself during collisions

Ground-based radio dishes may be able to detect tiny space junk that is currently too small to track using current methods.

Researchers at the University of Michigan believe that by spotting electrical pulses created when space junk crashes into each other, they can detect debris smaller than ten centimeters in size. [ more ]

Mail Online

5 months ago

US Space Force: tracking orbital UFO cases is a 'strategic imperative'

The US Space Force has detected thousands of UFOs in Earth's orbit, hindering threat identification.

Space Force is concerned about the risk of threatening spacecraft hidden in the unwatched area between Earth and the moon.

The military branch is investigating potential hazards and threats that exhibit abnormal observables and patterns of life. [ more ]

Theregister

5 months ago

Chinese rocket booster definitely crashed into Moon in 2022

Two craters on the Moon were caused by a Chinese rocket booster and possibly an additional payload.

A team of scientists from the University of Arizona have definitive evidence of the collision and the presence of two separate craters.

The impact occurred during the Chang'e 5-T1 mission in 2014, and the object was likely carrying an unknown payload. [ more ]

www.dw.com