// ORBITAL LOGISTICS AND PROPULSION TERM
Orbital Debris
Any human-made object in orbit around Earth that no longer serves a useful purpose, ranging from defunct satellites to tiny fragments of rockets.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
Orbital Debris, also known as space junk, refers to any non-functional, human-made object in Earth orbit, including spent rocket stages, defunct satellites, and fragments from collisions or explosions, posing a significant collision risk to operational spacecraft and future space missions.
BACKGROUND
Space debris are defunct human-made objects in space – principally in Earth orbit – which no longer serve a useful function. These include derelict spacecraft, mission-related debris, and fragmentation debris from the breakup of derelict rocket bodies and spacecraft. In addition to derelict human-made objects left in orbit, space debris includes fragments from disintegration, erosion, or collisions; solidified liquids expelled from spacecraft; unburned particles from solid rocket motors; and even paint flecks. Space debris represents a risk to spacecraft.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Space junk
- space debris
- orbital trash
- defunct satellites
USAGE NOTE
Orbital debris is a growing threat to the sustainability of space operations, necessitating mitigation strategies.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Orbital Debris.
A Japanese company with a global presence, specializing in in-orbit services and active debris removal technologies, including life extension, end-of-life services, and debris removal missions like ELSA-d.
A Swiss startup that was awarded the European Space Agency's (ESA) contract for the ClearSpace-1 mission, a demonstrator for active debris removal of a spent rocket upper stage.
Dedicated office within ESA focusing on the space debris environment, conducting research on debris mitigation, tracking, and removal technologies, and implementing debris-related policies.
A United States government agency program dedicated to addressing the orbital debris problem through research, risk assessment, modeling, tracking, and the development of mitigation guidelines.
A commercial company that provides high-resolution radar tracking and space situational awareness (SSA) services, essential for monitoring and mapping orbital debris and preventing collisions.
A Canadian company developing and launching a constellation of satellites to provide unprecedented space situational awareness (SSA) and space domain awareness (SDA) services, including precise tracking of orbital debris.
An Italian company that offers in-orbit servicing, logistics, and debris mitigation solutions, including the ION Satellite Carrier for deployment and deorbiting capabilities to reduce space debris.
A company providing advanced space situational awareness (SSA) and space domain awareness (SDA) solutions, offering critical data, analysis, and insights for tracking orbital objects and managing collision risks with debris.