Space Debris

Space debris consists of human-made objects, including their fragments and components, that are non-functional and remain in Earth orbit or are re-entering the atmosphere. It is also called orbital debris or space junk and excludes naturally occurring objects such as meteoroids.

Objects included as space debris

• Defunct spacecraft include satellites that have failed or completed their missions but remain in orbit.
• Abandoned launch vehicle hardware includes spent rocket stages and other rocket bodies left in orbit.
• Mission-related objects include items released during launch or spacecraft operations, such as protective covers, lens caps and separation devices.
• Fragmentation debris consists of pieces created by accidental explosions, collisions or deliberate destruction of spacecraft and rocket bodies.
• Small particles include paint flakes, material shed through surface degradation and particles released by propulsion systems.

Boundary of the classification

The decisive tests are human origin and loss of function, rather than the object's size. A functioning satellite is not debris, while a non-functional spacecraft remains debris until it is removed, re-enters or leaves the relevant orbital environment.

• The definition covers complete objects as well as fragments and individual components.
• Natural meteoroids are part of the space environment but are not classified as space debris.
• Objects descending through the atmosphere after leaving orbit remain covered during their re-entry phase.

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