CUTTING EDGE

A space junk timeline

Free-for-all access to low-Earth orbit is increasing the risk of collisions

Space is getting increasingly crowded. At least, it is in the region of low-Earth orbit, where many satellites operate. Spanning altitudes between about 160km and 2,000km above Earth’s surface, low-Earth orbit requires less fuel to reach than higher orbits. Its relative proximity to the ground also provides advantages for low-powered communication devices, such as Iridium satellite phones, as well as for Earth observation – think weather-forecasting, monitoring the environment and spying. The International Space Station (ISS) and China’s Tiangong space station also occupy low-Earth orbit, both at an altitude around 400km.

There are plenty of objects, however, that have fallen out of In the worst case scenario, it could block human access to space and end services such as GPS and satellite imaging for a long time.