Space Junk: first-of-its-kind operation to crash a defunct satellite safely into Atlantic

Defunct spacecraft are a headache. They can smash into useful satellites and crash to Earth… who knows where.

“Today, we have 10,000 spacecraft in space, of which 2,000 are not functional. In terms of mass, we are speaking about 11,000 tons.” The ESA scientist added that around 100 tons of human-made space debris reenter Earth’s atmosphere each year, with large objects falling back to our planet at a rate of around one per week. Space.com

The European Space Agency is using the fuel left in its Aeolus satellite in a “first-of-its-kind operation to guide a dead and disused satellite back to Earth safely. The mission will pave the way for the safe return of other space-based equipment in the future.”

The descent has already begun, with Aeolus’s impact expected this Friday, July 28, 2023. Good luck, ESA.

The mess we’re making in space will only get worse. That inspired my scifi story.

Newly minted pilot Winnie Bravo sets out to clear junk from Earth orbit. She’s brash, reckless, and more than a little annoying, and capturing a stealth probe that’s destroying satellites seems the perfect way to demonstrate her talents. But the mysterious craft escapes, and someone at her corporation’s lunar base is willing to kill to stop her. Click here now and start readin g.