Space debris: evolution in pictures

In almost 50 years of space activities, more than 4800 launches have placed some 6000 satellites into orbit, of which only a minor fraction - about 800 - are still operational today. Only 6 percent of the catalogued orbit population are operational spacecraft, while 38 percent can be attributed to decommissioned satellites, spent upper stages and mission-related objects (launch adaptors, lens covers, etc.).

The remaining 56 percent originates from more than 200 in-orbit fragmentations which have been recorded since 1961. Except for a few collisions (less than 10 accidental and intentional events), the majority of the 200 break-ups were explosions of spacecraft and upper stages.

Note: Images in this gallery are artist's impressions; size of debris objects are exaggerated as compared to the Earth.

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HI-RES JPEG HI-RES TIFF

Caption:

The geostationary ring

Credits:

ESA

ID number:

SEMP7OK26DF

HI-RES JPEG size:

902 kb

HI-RES TIFF size:

3165 kb

Related Images:

Operations

Space Situational Awareness (SSA)

Description

The geostationary ring, at an altitude of about 36,000 km. This orbit is heavily used by telecommunication satellites.

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