List of space debris producing events

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 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 liquid metal (NaK) 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]

Top debris creation events, January 2016[6]
What Year Pieces Notes
Fengyun-1C 2007 3,428 Intentional collision (ASAT)
Kosmos 2251 2009 1,668 Accidental collision with Iridium 33
STEP 2 Rocket Body 1996 754 Accidental explosion
Iridium 33 2009 628 Accidental collision with Kosmos 2251
Kosmos 2421 2008 509 Disintegrated
SPOT 1 Rocket Body 1986 498 Accidental explosion
OV2-1 Rocket Body 1965 473 Accidental explosion
CBERS 1 Rocket Body 2000 431 Accidental explosion
Nimbus 4 Rocket Body 1970 376 Accidental explosion
TES Rocket Body 2001 372 Accidental explosion

Recent events

On 3 February 2015, the 13th DMSP satellite of the US governmentDMSP-F13, launched in 1995—exploded while in a sun-synchronous polar orbit leaving a debris field of at least 43 objects. The US Air Force Joint Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California is monitoring the expanding debris field, and "will issue conjunction warnings if necessary."[7]

References

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