Buzz
Since Sputnik made its historic orbit in 1957, humanity has been on an unceasing mission to explore the vast reaches of our universe. However, over the past 50 years, we've created more space junk than we've actually studied space. Today, there are more than 500,000 pieces of 'space debris' circling Earth. Some of these are meteoroids, but most are leftover fragments from our numerous space missions.
While it might seem like this wouldn't be a huge issue, considering the vastness of space, the situation is more serious than you might think. Recent estimates suggest that there are over 20,000 man-made objects at least as large as a baseball zipping around Earth at speeds of over 28,000 kilometers per hour (17,500 mph). It doesn't take a scientist to realize that such velocity could result in severe damage. Unfortunately, this has already occurred several times, with many satellite-to-satellite collisions taking place.
10. Soyuz TM-17 Crashes Into Mir, 1994
In 1994, during a return mission from the Russian space station Mir to Earth, the Soviet Soyuz TM ferry spacecraft, Soyuz TM-17, collided with Mir just minutes after liftoff. As part of a routine inspection of the station, the cosmonauts were instructed by TsUP, the Russian equivalent of ground control, to take photos of the docking area as they prepared to head home.
Shortly after starting the task, cosmonaut Vasily Tsibliyev noted that the spacecraft was handling “sluggishly” as TM-17 drifted too close to one of Mir’s solar arrays. Moments later, TsUP observed the spacecraft’s external camera shake violently. Cosmonaut Aleksandr Serebrov confirmed that the spacecraft had indeed struck Mir. Communication with ground control, Mir, and TM-17 was lost immediately but was thankfully restored after several minutes.
Despite Soyuz TM-17 hitting Mir twice in quick succession, there was no significant damage. The crash was later attributed to a switch malfunction in the left motion control lever of the descent module. Fortunately, Tsibliyev was able to take control using the right lever, steering TM-17 away from Mir’s solar arrays, antennas, and docking ports, thus preventing a potential disaster.
9. Progress M-34 Collides with Mir, 1997
The old saying goes, 'Lightning never strikes the same place twice,' yet Vasily Tsibliyev stands as proof to the contrary. Mir experienced only two satellite collisions during its operational history, and Tsibliyev was in command during both of them.
In the 1990s, Russia sought to develop a remote-control docking system as a cost-effective alternative to an expensive automated process provided by Ukraine. To test the new system, the supply vessel Progress M-34 was undocked from Mir on June 24, 1997, with the intention of re-docking it manually. However, this task turned out to be more challenging than anticipated, as the vessel was camouflaged against Earth’s cloudy backdrop, causing it to veer off its course. The brakes failed to slow M-34 adequately, and the vessel collided abruptly with Mir’s Spektr module.
Though the crash wasn't a dramatic spectacle like something from a Michael Bay movie, Mir did sustain significant damage. One of its solar panels and radiators was severely damaged, and the Spektr module's hull was punctured, leading to depressurization. The crew aboard Mir immediately heard a hissing sound, followed by their ears popping—clear signs of depressurization. As a result, Spektr had to be permanently sealed off, and the electricity supplied by its solar panels was cut off, causing Mir to lose power and drift in free flight. Fortunately, electricity was eventually restored, and the space station avoided catastrophic damage, although it took weeks for operations to fully resume on Mir.
On July 2, 1997, after being released from Mir’s docking station, the ill-fated Progress M-34 cargo vessel burned up upon re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean, providing a somewhat cathartic spectacle for the cosmonauts who witnessed it.
8. The Hypervelocity Collision, 2009
On February 10, 2009, Iridium 33, a commercial communications satellite, collided with Cosmos-2251, an outdated Russian military satellite, 800 kilometers (500 miles) above the Taymyr Peninsula in Siberia. Both satellites were traveling at an astounding speed of 24,480 kilometers per hour (15,211 mph) and had a combined weight of 1,500 kilograms (3,300 lb). The tremendous momentum from the crash completely destroyed both satellites.
The Hypervelocity Collision (named for the extreme speeds involved, which are measured in kilometers per second) resulted in more than 2,000 fragments, each about 10–15 centimeters (4–6 inches) in size, being scattered into orbit around the Earth. This debris continues to pose a significant threat to the International Space Station (ISS), as the fragments remain in the same orbital region. Although the ISS has avoided direct collisions with the 2009 debris, it has had to perform evasive maneuvers to dodge potential impacts.
The aftermath of the collision still lingers in Earth's orbit, with the debris remaining a serious hazard. Fortunately, most of the fragments' orbits are decaying, and they will eventually burn up upon re-entry into the atmosphere. As of January 2014, about 25 percent of the debris had already burned up. Despite the devastating nature of the crash, one positive outcome is the growing awareness and discussion about how to remove inactive space junk from orbit before it causes further catastrophic events.
7. The Satellite Crash Pit, AKA The Moon
As a natural satellite, the Moon has also been involved in collisions with artificial satellites, which qualifies it for this list. So far, humanity has sent 74 probes and manned missions to the Moon, 51 of which have crashed into its rocky, white surface. Of these, 19 were intentional crashes, such as during the Apollo missions when the S-IVB rockets were deliberately dropped onto the lunar surface to study its seismic activity.
The majority of the satellites and probes that have crashed onto the Moon’s surface are American. In most cases, this was because these spacecraft had completed their missions and were no longer necessary, so they were deactivated and left to fall onto the lunar surface. The USSR, on the other hand, struggled to land their probes successfully, with half of the Luna mission probes crashing directly into the Moon.
Whether intentional or not, humanity has contributed a total of 128,141 kilograms (282,500 lb) of probes to the Moon over the past five decades, and more lunar missions are planned in the coming years. Let’s hope they manage to land successfully this time around.
6. The Collision That Destroyed BLITS, 2013
In 2009, a retroreflector satellite named BLITS (Ball Lens In The Space) was launched into orbit. Weighing only 8 kilograms (18 lbs), this small satellite, constructed from various types of glass with different refractive indices, was designed for a five-year mission. Its goal was to support scientific research in geophysics and geodynamics, while also serving as a test platform for satellite laser ranging applications.
Four years into its mission, in 2013, Russian scientists noticed an abrupt 120-meter (400 ft) drop in BLITS's altitude. The satellite's spin period also increased from 0.18 to 0.48 hertz. BLITS also stopped responding to laser ranging signals, raising the suspicion, 'Had something collided with BLITS?' After analyzing orbital tracking data, it was discovered that an object was within 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) of BLITS, traveling at a relative speed of 34,920 kilometers per hour (21,700 mph) at the time of the impact. The culprit turned out to be a piece of Chinese space debris.
In 2007, as part of an anti-satellite missile test, China destroyed one of its own weather satellites, Fengyun 1C (FY-1C), which weighed 750 kilograms (1,653 lbs). The test was successful, but the explosion scattered 2,317 traceable fragments into various orbital planes around Earth, along with an estimated 15,000 untraceable fragments. This debris has become a constant menace, posing a significant threat to low-orbiting spacecraft. Some satellites, including the ISS, have had to perform evasive maneuvers on multiple occasions.
It was only a matter of time before the debris from FY-1C caused damage to a satellite, and BLITS became the first casualty. The now inoperative BLITS remains in orbit, contributing to the ever-growing cloud of space junk that could one day potentially knock another satellite off-course.
5. Russian Space Debris Causes Havoc, 2013
In 1985, Russia launched Cosmos 1666, an electronic jamming satellite, into space atop a Tsyklon-3 rocket, which was designed similarly to NASA's Saturn rockets. The launch was successful, and Cosmos 1666 was placed into orbit. Unfortunately, the last stage of the Tsyklon-3 rocket remained in space as well. After 28 years of orbiting Earth, the Tsyklon-3 rocket had accumulated a dangerous cloud of debris, making it even more perilous than before.
In 2013, over the Indian Ocean, an Ecuadorian satellite called Pegaso met its unfortunate end. Although Pegaso didn’t directly collide with Tsyklon-3, it was struck by the debris cloud, which knocked its antennas out of alignment, causing the satellite to spin uncontrollably. While Pegaso wasn’t physically damaged in the incident, the misalignment of its antennas and the changes in its orbit, coupled with the rapid spinning, rendered it unable to receive transmissions or send commands. Three months later, the Ecuadorian Civilian Space Agency (EXA) declared Pegaso lost and terminated its mission.
Tsyklon-3 didn’t just affect Ecuador’s Pegaso; it also took down the Argentine satellite CubeBug-1, prompting the question: How many more satellites will this massive floating debris field destroy?
4. Faulty Navigation System Causes A Satellite Collision, 2005
The Demonstration for Autonomous Rendezvous Technology (DART), developed by NASA, was designed to perform intricate maneuvers in confined spaces, all without human intervention. If successful, DART could have been used for delicate tasks such as maintaining existing satellites like the Hubble Telescope. Unfortunately, during its test flights, the spacecraft encountered difficulties and collided with its target, a communications satellite called MUBLCOM, causing it to shift to a slightly higher orbit.
Although DART's testing resulted in a crash, it provided important lessons, highlighting the need for additional precautions and refinements in fully automated spacecraft. Fortunately, both satellites survived the incident with minor damage, and were able to proceed into their retirement phases. Currently, they are in low Earth orbits, where they pose no threat to other spacecraft. Over the next 25 years, they will slowly descend and eventually burn up upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.
3. Galileo’s Suicide Run, 2003
Galileo stands out as one of the most groundbreaking satellites ever constructed, vastly enhancing our understanding of the solar system and delivering some of the most awe-inspiring images of Jupiter and its moons. Launched in 1989, Galileo used gravity assist maneuvers to swing past Venus and Earth, capturing images of both planets along the way, before finally reaching Jupiter nearly five years later.
This remarkable explorer achieved numerous milestones: it was the first to fly by an asteroid, the first to discover a moon orbiting an asteroid, the first and only probe to directly observe a comet crashing into a planet, the first to measure Jupiter’s atmosphere, the first to document the intense volcanic activity on Io, and the first to find evidence of subsurface saltwater on Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
As concerns grew among astronomers that Galileo might one day collide with one of Jupiter's moons, potentially contaminating them—especially moons like Europa, which could harbor life—it became clear that something had to be done. Galileo didn't have enough fuel to return to Earth, and the only way to prevent contamination of the Jovian system and the solar system was to destroy the spacecraft by sending it into the very planet it had studied for over a decade.
On September 21, 2003, after 14 years in space and 8 years within the depths of the Jovian system, Galileo met its end. At 7:00 PM GMT, it descended into the immense pressures of Jupiter’s atmosphere, with no hope of survival. While it was undeniably heartbreaking to say goodbye to Galileo, it was the right decision to prevent it from contaminating the Jovian system. Rest in peace, Galileo.
2. USA 193 - 2008
In 2006, just moments after the top-secret satellite USA 193 successfully entered its orbit, communication with it was abruptly lost. Normally, this wouldn't be a major issue. Sure, it would be inconvenient, but eventually, the satellite would burn up upon re-entry. However, USA 193 was no ordinary satellite. Weighing an impressive 2,300 kilograms (5,000 lb), with dimensions based on the Delta II payload, it was 4.5 meters (15 ft) long and 2.5 meters (8 ft) wide.
Normally, a satellite failing early on wouldn’t be so alarming, but in this case, USA 193 still had a full tank of fuel, a hazardous 454 kilograms (1,000 lb) of toxic hydrazine. This fuel was believed to survive re-entry if contained within the tank. Obviously, allowing USA 193 to enter the atmosphere uncontrollably was out of the question, as it could spread its toxic contents over populated areas. A plan was needed, and that plan became known as Operation Burnt Frost.
General James Cartwright confirmed that the US Navy had a plan to launch a $10 million SM-3 missile to destroy the satellite before it could re-enter Earth's atmosphere. The satellite's toxic fuel would either be sent into space or burned up in the atmosphere. Since the satellite was in a low orbit, most of the debris was expected to burn up upon entering the Earth’s atmosphere within 48 hours, with the remaining fragments re-entering within 40 days.
In 2008, almost two years after the original launch, USA 193 was successfully destroyed at an altitude of 247 kilometers (153 miles) above the Pacific Ocean. It was broken into 174 pieces, all of which were cataloged and tracked by the US military. Most of the debris fell back to Earth and burned up after a few months of orbit, slightly longer than anticipated. Some fragments were thrown into higher orbits than expected but were all accounted for, and the last piece of USA 193 re-entered the atmosphere in October 2009.
Fortunately, none of the debris from the destroyed USA 193 caused any known collisions. The only issue was a minor delay in the launch of another National Reconnaissance Office satellite, NRO L-28, which was merely a precautionary measure.
1. Cerise Damaged By Its Own Launch Rocket - 1996
Cerise, named after the French word for 'cherry,' was a 50-kilogram (110 lb) military reconnaissance satellite created to intercept high-frequency (HF) radio signals for the French intelligence agency. On July 7, 1995, this small spy satellite was successfully launched into orbit by an Ariane-4 rocket, a widely used three-stage vehicle by the European Space Agency.
About a year into its mission, Cerise was knocked off course, descending in altitude and tumbling uncontrollably. Though this was an unprecedented event, it became clear that Cerise had been struck by an external object.
Using the USAF Space Command’s COMBO (Computation Of Miss Between Orbits) program, NASA pinpointed that Cerise had collided with a fragment from a past mission. This was the first documented collision between two man-made objects in space. Further investigation revealed that the fragment originated from an old Ariane-1 rocket, which had fragmented into over 500 pieces, meaning Cerise had been struck by a remnant of the very rocket that had launched it.
The impact caused significant damage to Cerise, detaching a 3-meter (10 ft) section from the 6-meter (20 ft) gravity-gradient stabilization boom extending from the probe. Despite this, Cerise continued its mission, operating under ground control. Engineers achieved an impressive feat by reprogramming Cerise’s onboard computers and using electromagnets to reposition the satellite, enabling it to continue its surveillance for many years afterward.
