Published
Video duration:
3 mins
Millions of pieces of space debris are floating around the Earth. They come from pieces of rockets or inactive satellites.
Floating in space are 36,000 objects measuring more than 10 centimeters and millions measuring barely 1 mm. These are space debris, pieces of rockets, inactive satellites launched at full speed. They clutter the orbits and one day fall back to earth. Space debris has so far never caused any casualties on the planet, but the risk is growing. Debris especially disrupts space activities. They sometimes collide with satellites, rendering them unusable.
A team monitors the risk of collision
These collisions disrupt our communications, our weather forecasts, our understanding of the universe. At the national space study center in Toulouse (Haute-Garonne), a team is responsible for monitoring the risks of collision. On their screens the distances between the satellites and the debris are noted. They are sometimes a few meters long. When the risk is proven, the trajectory of the satellite is modified to avoid the shock.