Why is space debris such a big issue? - What in the World podcast, BBC World Service

In December 2024, a huge, red-hot metal ring fell from the sky and landed in a small village in Kenya. It turned out to be a piece of space junk.

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There are millions of pieces of space debris and rubbish floating around in space.

And we’re sending more and more stuff up there. Now it’s not just governments, but private companies like SpaceX and Amazon who are launching satellites. Some reports suggest that by 2030, we could have more than 60,000 active satellites in space. So what happens when they’re no longer needed?

BBC Science reporter Caroline Steel explains why space junk is such a big issue, and how people are trying to get rid of it.

And Wanjiku Chebet Kanjumba, a Kenyan PHD student studying aerospace engineering, tells us about some of the potential solutions, like using nets or lasers.

00:00 Intro
00:44 What is space junk?
01:51 How much space junk is there?
02:24 Why it doesn’t usually land on earth
04:04 Why is space junk a problem?
04:50 The dangers of sending more satellites
05:30 Is there a tipping point?
06:07 When space junk landed in Kenya
07:26 What is the worst case scenario?
07:57 Kenyan PHD student studying aerospace engineering
09:00 Can lasers get rid of space junk?
10:02 Are governments trying to eradicate it?
11:16 The risks of metal satellites
11:51 The wooden satellite sent to space
13:10 Ending

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