Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Image credit: Visual Capitalist/Preyash Shah

Just how much human-made space garbage is currently circling the Earth? What countries are in the “space junk race” to clutter up the heavens?

The folks at Visual Capitalist have created the infographic: “Space Debris: The Earth’s Orbiting Threat,” an effort led by Preyash Shah, expert in technology, business and maps for the group.

Country culpability

Shah notes that, in July, an odd object washed up on a remote beach in Western Australia. This chunk of golden metal was later identified as a spent rocket stage.

most likely debris from an expended third-stage of a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) – a medium-lift launcher operated by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
Image credit: Australian Space Agency

Earth is encircled by thousands of defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, metal shards from collisions, all orbiting our planet at breakneck speeds.

In this graphic, Preyash Shah uses tracking data from the Space-Track.org, maintained by the U.S. Space Force, to help visualize just how much debris is currently orbiting the Earth, while identifying the biggest contributors of this celestial clutter.

For further information, go to: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/cp/space-debris-by-country/

Also, visit Visual Capitalist at: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/