Space junkSpace debris is millions of man-made pieces of debris that float around the earth, creating problems and potential dangers for operational aircraft. The debris consists of tiny specks of paint, defunct satellites exploding in space, destroyed weather satellites and debris from the defunct Soviet satellite when it collided with the US Iridium satellite over northern Siberia. Humanity's journey to space, which began with the launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik in 1957, has seen a series of launches that have flooded space with a multitude of debris of inert matter. Launchers manufactured over the years have left behind enormous debris that left approximately half a million pieces of debris measuring between one and ten centimeters in space. These debris may seem insignificant in terms of size, but they are dangerous in space. The little dot of paint packs the punch of a 550-pound object traveling at about 60 miles per hour. These objects can cause significant damage to an aircraft's vital equipment, such as solar cells, tether, or can create more debris upon impact. Collisions with larger debris can cause more damage and disable a spacecraft, like what happened to the French spacecraft in 1996. Smaller debris can even threaten astronauts during a spacewalk. This is why this debris is closely monitored by agencies like the European Space Operations Center. (ESOC). A meter telescope, radar system and satellite system are used at sites such as the Canary Islands, Germany, and on the ESA international space plane. Cleaning Up Outer Space In recent years, a number of space organizations have studied ways to clean up debris that is still in orbit. What is being studied are the challenges facing organizations...... middle of paper...... space. There are actual collisions that occur once or twice a year between active space satellites and space debris. There are natural disasters that sometimes wreak havoc on satellites and no one can do anything about it. Part of the current plans of various global agencies is to track space debris and prevent it from colliding with operational satellites. An avalanche of collisions could destroy all the satellites if a clean-up operation is not implemented as soon as possible. In the event of a collision, more debris would be created, which could make space uninhabitable for satellites for hundreds of years. This scenario poses a real threat and could be catastrophic if it occurs. Therefore, accurately tracking materials in orbit and preventing an avalanche of colliding debris can prevent the big problem from getting worse..