Space Debris - Dealing With Debris

Dealing With Debris

Manmade space debris have been dropping out of orbit at an average rate of about one object per day for the past 50 years. Substantial variation in the average rate occurs as a result of the 11-year solar activity cycle, averaging closer to three objects per day at solar max due to the heating, and resultant expansion, of the Earth's atmosphere. At solar min, five and one-half years later, the rate averages about one every three days.