The proliferation of space junk poses a threat to satellites and other spacecraft.
Hundreds of debris fragments are circling the Earth as a Chinese rocket disintegrated in orbit following its launch on Tuesday, creating a potential hazard for satellites.'U.S. Space Command can confirm the break-up of a Chinese Long March 6A rocket launched on August 6, 2024, resulting in over 300 pieces of trackable debris in low-Earth orbit ,' read Thursday's statement from U.S. Space Command. It added no 'immediate threats' had been detected.
considered a satellite to be in low Earth orbit at altitudes of less than 2,000 kilometers above the Earth's surface, a zone better suited for communication and observation.'Space junk' travels at high speeds of up to 18,000 miles an hour. Therefore even small objects can inflict significant damage on spacecraft, including the satellites used for communications, weather forecasting, national security and navigation.
said it had cataloged 533 pieces of debris from the stage by the end of January 2023.China seeks to establish itself as a major player in outer space, a new frontier for great power competition.China conducted 67 space launch missions in 2023, second only to the U.S., and placed 221 spacecraft in orbit. China hopes to up its game with 100 launches this year, according to state media.
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