Produced by: Tarun Mishra
A Chinese rocket stage that recently broke apart in space has created a debris field of over 700 fragments, according to U.S. space-tracking firms. The incident poses a significant risk to more than 1,000 satellites and other objects in a busy region of Earth's orbit.
The debris cloud, formed at an altitude of approximately 800 kilometres, endangers over 1,100 satellites and other orbital objects. Analysts have warned of possible hazardous collisions due to the debris.
NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, currently stationed on the International Space Station (ISS), and her fellow crew members may face increased risk from the debris. The ISS and other operational spacecraft must now navigate the heightened threat of collisions in the already crowded orbital region.
The cause of the rocket stage's break-up is still unclear. It could have been triggered by a collision with another object or an onboard explosion of unused rocket fuel. Initial reports from U.S. Space Command estimated 300 debris pieces, but this number has since been revised upwards to over 700, with some analysts suggesting it could exceed 900 fragments.
Audrey Schaffer, vice president of strategy at Slingshot Aerospace, indicated that there are over 1,100 predicted conjunctions, where objects in orbit are expected to come within five kilometres of each other in the next three days. About a third of these objects are active spacecraft that can manoeuvre to avoid collisions.
The majority of objects at risk are uncontrollable space debris, raising concerns about cascading collisions. These events could significantly increase the amount of space junk, further complicating space traffic management and increasing risks for both current and future space missions.
This is not the first time a Chinese rocket stage has caused a large debris field. A similar incident occurred in 2022 when a Long March 6A rocket stage broke apart, generating hundreds of debris pieces. The event drew criticism from Western countries and space sustainability advocates who called for better management of spent rocket stages by China.
Space sustainability experts have expressed disappointment over the recurrence of such debris-generating events, which are seen as potentially avoidable. The incident has renewed calls for improved space debris management practices to prevent further risks to space missions and orbital assets.