Ever since the Space Age began in October, 1957 with the launch of the Soviet Sputnik, over 5000 space launches have been recorded. Only a thousand or so operational satellites are now in orbit. About 22,000 tractable objects larger than 10 cm are today floating above the Earth’s atmosphere.
In addition, 700,000 objects larger than 1cm orbit the Earth. About 70,000 objects and 170 million fragments larger than one millimeter are going round the Earth. Most of the objects are junk, including defunct satellites, discarded rocket parts, garbage bags, nuts and bolts, specs of paint and gloves that slipped away during manned missions outside the spacecraft. Alexi Leonov, space pioneer, lost his glove, while working outside the space station.
Astronaut Sunita Williams lost her camera during her extra vehicular activity. While the Earth’s gravity would pull down heavy objects, lighter parts of rockets and fragments such as....
