Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies
This image shows the number of tracked objects in earth orbit (Click here to view a Quicktime animation of the movement of these objects.) |
Outer space presents a number of hazards to spacecraft. Temperature extremes, radiation, solar flares, and micrometeoroids have long been essential considerations in spacecraft and mission design.
Increasing use of space has brought a new source of risk -- collisions between manmade objects. Given the high relative velocities of objects in space, even small untracked objects can damage critical sensors and spacecraft components.
As users of space have recognized the hazards of old, unused, or inoperative spacecraft on operating satellites, plans have been made to de-orbit such hardware back into Earth's atmosphere where the friction of reentry will destroy the satellite and its components.
Unfortunately, recent evidence shows that some portions of the spacecraft -- sometimes significant pieces -- may survive reentry and pose a hazard to people and property on the ground.
The Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies was established at The Aerospace Corporation to recognize the increasing significance of orbital debris and reentry hazards to space missions.
