List of space debris producing events

Short description: none

Major contributors to space debris include the explosion of upper stages and satellite collisions.[1]

## Contents

* 1 Overview
* 2 Top debris creation events
* 3 Recent events
* 4 References

## Overview

There were 190 known satellite breakups between 1961 and 2006.[2] By 2015, the total had grown to 250 on-orbit fragmentation events.[3]

As of 2012[update] there were an estimated 500,000 pieces of debris in orbit,[4] with 300,000 pieces below 2000 km (LEO).[1] Of the total, about 20,000 are tracked.[1] Also, about sixteen old Soviet nuclear space reactors are known to have released an estimated 100,000 NaK liquid metal coolant droplets 800–900 km up,[5] which range in size from 1–6 cm.[5]

The greatest risk to space missions is from untracked debris between 1 and 10 cm in size.[1] Large pieces can be tracked and avoided, and impact from smaller pieces are usually survivable.[1]

## Top debris creation events

Object | Year | Pieces | Notes

|
|
|

Fengyun-1C | 2007 | 3,549 | Intentional collision (ASAT)
Kosmos 2251 | 2009 | 1,716 | Accidental collision with Iridium 33
Kosmos 1408 | 2021 | 1,562 | Intentional collision (ASAT)
Long March 6A upper stage | 2024 | 700–900+ | Unknown; but may be related to upper stage passivization or insulation.[6]
Long March 6A upper stage | 2022 | 781[7] | Unknown; but may be related to upper stage passivization or insulation with later debris cloud expansion.[7][8]
STEP 2 Rocket Body | 1996 | 756 | Residual propellant explosion
Iridium 33 | 2009 | 659 | Accidental collision with Kosmos 2251
SPOT 1 Rocket Body | 1986 | 506 | Residual propellant explosion
Parus | 1981 | 482 | Battery explosion
OV2-1 Rocket Body | 1965 | 473 | Engine explosion
Nimbus 4 Rocket Body | 1970 | 465 | Residual propellant explosion
NOAA-16 | 2015 | 458 | Battery explosion
TES Rocket Body | 2001 | 373 | Residual propellant explosion
CBERS-1 Rocket Body | 2000 | 344 | Residual propellant explosion
Fregat tank | 2020 | 338 | Residual propellant explosion
Ablestar | 1961 | 320 | Residual propellant explosion
Delta 2910 | 1975 | 313 | Residual propellant explosion
Solwind | 1985 | 289 | Intentional collision (ASAT) [9]

## Recent events

Date | Object | International Designation | Cause | Total Pieces | Pieces in Orbit | Reentered Pieces as of Dec 2022[lower-alpha 1]

|
|
|
|
|
|

August 31, 2018 | Centaur V upper stage[10] | 2014-055B | Unknown[10] | 107 | 107 | 0
December 22, 2018 | ORBCOMM FM-16 [10] | 1998-046E | Energetic fragmentation; Probably caused by left over propellent[11] | 13 | 5 | 8
January 24, 2019 | Microsat-R[11] | 2019-006A | ASAT (Anti-Satellite) weapon system test[11] | 129 | 0 | 129
February 6, 2019 | H2-A 202 Rocket Body[10] | 2018-084L | Unknown; Third known breakup of an H-2A Rocket Body[10] | 6 | 0 | 6
February 6, 2019 | H2-A 202 Payload Adapter[10] | 2018-084E | Energetic fragmentation event; Cause Unknown[10] | 3 | 0 | 3
April 2019 | Centaur V Rocket Body[11] | 2018-079B | Energetic fragmentation event; Cause Unknown[11] | 193 | 192 | 1
May 7, 2019 | Titan IIIC Transtage rocket body[12] | 1976-023F | Energetic fragmentation event by caused the overheating of leftover anhydrous hydrazine(N2H4) Mono Propellant[12] | ?[lower-alpha 2] | ? | ?
August 19, 2019 | SOZ (Sistema Obespecheniya Zapuska) ullage motor from a Proton Block DM fourth stage[12] | 2010-041H | Energetic fragmentation event; caused by left over fuel in the ullage motor. 30th fragmentation event of a SOZ unit. 34 intact units remain in orbit[12] | 23 | 23 | 0
August 13, 2019 | Ariane 42P third stage rocket body[12] | 1992-052D | Unknown[12] | 10 | 10 | 0
May 8, 2020 | Fregat tank[13] | 2011-037B | Unknown, possibly explosion[13] | 346 | 280 | 66
July 12, 2020 | H2-A 202 Fairing[13] | 2018-084C | Collision with untracked debris[13] | 123 | 5 | 118
March 18, 2021 | Yunhai-1 02[14] | 2019-063A | Accidental collision with a fragment from the Zenit-2 rocket body that launched Tselina-2 in 1996.[14] | 39 | 20 | 19
November 15, 2021 | Kosmos 1408 | 1982-092A | ASAT (Anti-Satellite) weapon system test | 1787 | 394 | 1393
November 12, 2022 | Long March 6A upper stage | 2022-151B | Unknown; but may be related to upper stage passivization or insulation.[15][16][17] | 781 | 722 | 59
November 17, 2022 | H2-A 202 Payload fairing | 2012-025F | Energetic fragmentation event; Cause unknown[18] | 50+ | 50+ | 0
January 4, 2023 | Kosmos 2499 | 2014-028E | Unknown[19] | 85 | 85 | 0
August 21, 2023 | Vega VV02 VESPA adapter | 2013-021D | Unknown; likely debris impact[20][21] | 7 | 7 | 0
June 26, 2024 | Resurs-P No.1 | 2013-030A | Unknown; but may be related to improper spacecraft passivization[22][23] | 100[24] | 19[24] | ?
July 4, 2024 | Long March 6A upper stage | 2024-126C | Unknown; but may be related to upper stage passivization or insulation.[25] | 44[24] | 0[24] | ?
August 6, 2024 | Long March 6A upper stage | 2024-140U | Unknown; but may be related to upper stage passivization or insulation.[6] | 700+[24] | 663[24] | ?
September 6, 2024 | Atlas V Centaur upper stage | 2018-022B | Unknown; | 843+[24] | 843[24] | ?
October 19, 2024 | Intelsat 33e | 2016-053B | Unknown; potential threat to all spacecraft in geostationary orbit, including the Russian satellites, Ekspress-AT1, Yamal-402, Ekspress-AM6 and Elektro-L;[26][27] | 1104+[24] | 1104[24] | ?
February 9, 2025 | New Glenn upper stage+Blue Ring | 2025-011A | Energetic fragmentation event;[citation needed] Cause Unknown; but may be related to upper stage passivization or insulation. | 67 | 67 | 0

1. ↑ The date when all rows were updated.
2. ↑ No fragments have entered the SSN catalog as 2022-09-22

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The Threat of Orbital Debris and Protecting NASA Space Assets from Satellite Collisions (2009)
2. ↑ "AN ANALYSIS OF RECENT MAJOR BREAKUPS IN THE LOW EARTH ORBIT REGION". https://www.iafastro.net/iac/archive/browse/IAC-10/A6/2/6484/.
3. ↑ "ESA Experts Assess Risk from Exploded Satellite". ESA. https://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Engineering_Technology/Clean_Space/ESA_experts_assess_risk_from_exploded_satellite.
4. ↑ "DARPA wants army of networked amateur astronomers to watch sky for space junk, aliens". Stratrisks. 2012-11-14. http://stratrisks.com/geostrat/9353.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 IEEE – The Growing Threat of Space Debris
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Jones, Andrew (9 August 2024). "Chinese rocket stage breaks up into cloud of more than 700 pieces of space debris". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/chinese-rocket-stage-breaks-up-into-cloud-of-more-than-700-pieces-of-space-debris/.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Evolution of Major Debris Clouds in Low Earth Orbit". NASA. https://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/quarterly-news/pdfs/odqnv27i3.pdf.
8. ↑ Jones, Andrew (8 August 2024). "Chinese megaconstellation launch creates field of space debris". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/chinese-megaconstellation-launch-creates-field-of-space-debris/.
9. ↑ "The Most Dangerous Space Weapons Ever". 21 December 2016. https://www.space.com/19-top-10-space-weapons.html.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (May 2019). "Orbital Debris Quarterly News". Space News. https://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/quarterly-news/pdfs/odqnv23i1.pdf.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (August 2019). "Orbital Debris Quarterly News". Space News. https://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/quarterly-news/pdfs/odqnv23i3.pdf.
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (November 2019). "Orbital Debris Quarterly News". Space News. https://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/quarterly-news/pdfs/odqnv23i4.pdf.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (August 2020). "Orbital Debris Quarterly News". NASA. https://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/quarterly-news/pdfs/odqnv24i4.pdf.
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Wall, Mike (17 August 2021). "Space collision: Chinese satellite got whacked by hunk of Russian rocket in March". Space.com. https://www.space.com/space-junk-collision-chinese-satellite-yunhai-1-02.
15. ↑ Jones, Andrew (2024-07-12). "China's Long March 6A rocket appears to have an orbital debris problem" (in en-US). https://spacenews.com/chinas-long-march-6a-rocket-appears-to-have-an-orbital-debris-problem/.
16. ↑ @S4S_SDA (7 August 2024). "#S4S has confirmed the breakup of a Chinese Long March 6A rocket launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China, on Aug. 7, 2024. Analysis ongoing. #spacedebris #SDA @SpaceTrackOrg @US_SpaceCom". https://twitter.com/S4S_SDA/status/1821320706044653969.
17. ↑ @18thSDS (12 November 2022). "18th Space Defense Squadron confirmed breakup associated with CZ-6A Rocket Body - likely occurred Nov 12 at around 05:25 UTC.". https://twitter.com/18thSDS/status/1591597224081108992.
18. ↑ @18thSDS (23 November 2022). "18th Space Defense Squadron confirms breakup of H-2A DEB (#38345, 2012-025F)". https://twitter.com/18thSDS/status/1595476174267891712.
19. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `ars-20230208`
20. ↑ Jonathan McDowell [@planet4589] (22 August 2023). "7 new debris objects cataloged from the Vega VV02 launch in a 23:50 LTDN sun-sync orbit, consistent with a breakup of the VESPA adapter upper section, object 39162. Possibly the result of an impact by a small object?". https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1693810817760678191.
21. ↑ "Objects detected in the vicinity of ClearSpace-1 debris removal mission target". ESA. 22 August 2023. https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Objects_detected_in_the_vicinity_of_ClearSpace-1_debris_removal_mission_target.
22. ↑ "Press Release: Break-up of Russian-owned space object". United States Space Command (Press release). 27 June 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
23. ↑ Foust, Jeff (2024-06-27). "Russian satellite breaks up, creating debris in low Earth orbit". https://spacenews.com/russian-satellite-breaks-up-creating-debris-in-low-earth-orbit/.
24. ↑ 24.00 24.01 24.02 24.03 24.04 24.05 24.06 24.07 24.08 24.09 "Annual Space Environment Report – Edition 9.1: Status of the Space Environment 2024". European Space Agency. 21 October 2025. https://www.sdo.esoc.esa.int/publications/Space_Environment_Report_I9R1_20251021.pdf.
25. ↑ Jones, Andrew (12 July 2024). "China's Long March 6A rocket appears to have an orbital debris problem". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/chinas-long-march-6a-rocket-appears-to-have-an-orbital-debris-problem/.
26. ↑ Rainbow, Jason (19 October 2024). "Intelsat 33e breaks up in geostationary orbit". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/intelsat-33e-loses-power-in-geostationary-orbit/.
27. ↑ Rainbow, Jason (10 December 2024). "Intelsat 33e demise exposes vulnerabilities in the space domain". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/intelsat-33e-demise-exposes-vulnerabilities-in-the-space-domain/. "Clint Clark, ExoAnalytic Solutions chief growth officer and vice president of first impressions, said the company has identified a cloud of more than 700 pieces of debris following the Oct. 19 incident."

0.00

(0 votes)

Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List of space debris producing events. Read more

|

Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Astronomy:List_of_space_debris_producing_events&oldid=4342116"