UNIVERSEH: The European Space University

Image source: Midjourney (2023, June 01). AI illustration of space debris in earths orbit. midjourney. midjourney.com

Short Definition:
Space debris are man-made objects which are moving uncontrollably and quickly above the Earth at different altitudes. Space debris can cause significant damage to the orbiting satellites, space crafts, telescopes and space stations.

Detailed Definition:
Space debris are useless man-made objects in space. Examples might be everything from tiny flecks of paint released by thermal stress to the parts of a destroyed satellite or a dead satellite. The amount of space junk is gradually rising as the space activity is growing. To mitigate the negative impact of the debris on the working elements, space waste is divided into smaller parts. It is then either burnt in the atmosphere or sent to the graveyard orbit (especially larger objects like satellites that will no longer work). Space debris collides with each other generating more space waste. This increases the likelihood of further collisions and yields in a higher density of debris in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This is called the Kessler syndrome.

Sample Sentence(s):
"The problem of managingspace debrisis both an international challenge and an opportunity to preserve the space environment for future space exploration missions."