Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Image credit: The Aerospace Corporation

Experts around the planet agree: Earth orbit is a heavenly mess and getting messier. Decades in the making, human-made space clutter now encircles our planet, from discarded rocket stages, lifeless satellites, and other sorts of cosmic compost.

Add into the mix that the space environment is becoming ever more crowded. For one, there’s the escalating number of Internet-providing satellites put in place by various groups.

Image credit: Chelsea Thompson/NOAA

For the most part, what goes up also comes down. Furthermore, the impact of reentering satellites on our biosphere is projected to be sizeable.

In a recent report, a research team led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has detected in Earth’s stratosphere more than 20 elements that mirror those used in spacecraft-building alloys.

For more information, go to my new Multiverse Media SpaceRef story — Space Debris Leftovers Linked to Stratospheric Pollution”– at:

https://spaceref.com/science-and-exploration/space-debris-leftovers-linked-to-stratospheric-pollution/

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