The orbital debris environment is not uniformly distributed. Certain altitude bands — particularly the 700–1,000 km region — are critically congested. This is where atmospheric drag is too weak for natural cleanup, but the population density creates the highest collision risk.
200–400 km
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400–600 km
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600–800 km
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800–1,000 km ⚠️
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1,000–1,200 km
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1,200–2,000 km
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MEO (2,000–35,786 km)
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GEO (~35,786 km)
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800–1,000 km — Critical Congestion Zone
This altitude band contains the largest concentration of tracked debris, including fragments from the Fengyun-1C ASAT test (2007) and the Cosmos–Iridium collision (2009). Objects at this altitude have orbital lifetimes of hundreds to thousands of years — far too long for atmospheric drag to provide natural cleanup. This is the highest-risk region for the Kessler syndrome.
Altitude distribution computed from Orbital Radar's TLE database. Counts update multiple times daily from official sources.
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Notable Fragmentation Events
Major debris-generating events and their tracked fragment populations. Counts are computed live from our database — fragments decay naturally over time, so these numbers change.
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Fengyun-1C ASAT Test
Jan 2007
~3,500
Generated
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Tracked now
865 km
Altitude
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Cosmos–Iridium Collision
Feb 2009
~2,300
Generated
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Tracked now
790 km
Altitude
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Cosmos 1408 ASAT Test
Nov 2021
~1,500
Generated
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Tracked now
480 km
Altitude
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Mission Shakti ASAT Test
Mar 2019
~400
Generated
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Tracked now
300 km
Altitude
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USA-193 ASAT Intercept
Feb 2008
~174
Generated
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Tracked now
247 km
Altitude
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DMSP F13 Breakup
Feb 2015
~149
Generated
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Tracked now
850 km
Altitude
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Growth of Tracked Debris (1957–Now)
From a single object in 1957 to over 45,000 tracked today — seven decades of accumulation in Earth orbit.
Tracked object count over time. Data from Orbital Radar's catalogue · Full debris statistics
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Space Debris by the Numbers
The tracked catalogue represents only a fraction of the debris environment. The vast majority of objects are too small to track from the ground — but large enough to destroy a spacecraft.
Estimated <1 cm
~130,000,000
Estimated 1–10 cm
~1,000,000
Tracked >10 cm
~45,000
Active satellites
~10,000
At orbital speeds, even a 1 cm fragment carries the kinetic energy of a hand grenade. A 10 cm object impacts with the force of 7 kg of TNT. The total mass of all objects in orbit exceeds 11,000 tonnes.
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Proximity Screening Monitor
Current close-proximity events detected by screening the tracked catalogue at the latest epoch. Objects within 10 km are flagged. Note: These are instantaneous separations, not predicted close approaches — operational conjunction assessment requires full-orbit propagation and CDM data from Space-Track.org.
Loading conjunction data…
Conjunction data computed server-side from TLE propagation. Updated every 15 minutes. Miss distances are predictions and may change as orbital elements are refined. See Space Situational Awareness Guide for methodology.
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Orbital Population Composition
The tracked catalogue includes active payloads, defunct satellites, fragmentation debris, rocket bodies and mission-related objects. Here's how the population breaks down right now.
Fragmentation Debris
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Rocket Bodies
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Active Payloads
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Defunct Payloads & Other
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Re-entry Forecast (Next 30 Days)
Objects predicted to re-enter Earth's atmosphere in the coming weeks. Most debris burns up completely; larger objects may survive to the surface. See the full re-entry tracker for details.
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Collision Probability Calculator
Estimate the collision probability for any tracked debris object using a simplified NASA ORDEM spatial density model. Enter a NORAD ID from the map above.
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Debris Ancestry Tree
Trace any debris fragment back to its origin — the launch that put it there, the satellite or rocket body it came from, and the breakup event that created it.
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Time-to-Decay Calculator
How long does debris survive at different altitudes? Drag the slider to see how atmospheric drag (or lack thereof) determines orbital lifetime.
800 km
~200–500 years
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Kessler Cascade Simulator
What happens if we keep adding objects without removing any? Adjust the parameters and simulate 100 years of orbital debris evolution to see if a Kessler cascade occurs.
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"What If" Impact Visualiser
Where would a debris object land if it re-entered right now? See the hypothetical ground track and impact uncertainty footprint for any tracked object.
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3D Debris Shell Visualisation
Explore the layered structure of the debris environment. Each translucent shell represents an altitude band — the brighter the shell, the denser the debris population. Drag to rotate.
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Country Responsibility Leaderboard
Which nations have contributed the most debris to Earth orbit? Rankings based on international designator data from our catalogue — includes active payloads, defunct satellites, rocket bodies and fragmentation debris.
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Then vs Now — Debris Comparison
See how dramatically the orbital debris environment has changed. Pick two years to compare side-by-side.
vs
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How to Use This Page
1
View the live map — the ground track map shows real-time positions of tracked debris, colour-coded by type: red for fragmentation debris, gold for rocket bodies, grey for defunct payloads, cyan for active satellites.
2
Filter by type or altitude — use the buttons above the map to isolate specific object types or fragmentation events. The altitude slider lets you focus on a specific orbital band.
3
Check conjunction risks — the conjunction monitor shows the highest-risk close approach events predicted in the next 72 hours, including miss distance and collision velocity.
4
Explore fragmentation events — browse notable debris clouds from ASAT tests and collisions, with live tracked fragment counts and links to track each cloud on the 3D globe.
5
Check debris above you — enter your location in the overhead radar to see how many tracked objects are currently above your horizon.
There are approximately 45,000 tracked objects larger than 10 cm, an estimated 1 million objects between 1–10 cm, and over 130 million fragments smaller than 1 cm. The total mass of all objects in orbit exceeds 11,000 tonnes.
Among the largest debris objects are defunct upper stages and decommissioned satellites. The Envisat Earth observation satellite (~8 tonnes, 26 m long) lost contact in 2012 and orbits at ~770 km — it will remain there for over a century. See the re-entry tracker for large objects predicted to de-orbit.
In LEO, debris travels at approximately 7–8 km/s (25,000–28,000 km/h). Collision speeds can reach 15 km/s on crossing orbits. At these velocities, even a 1 cm fragment carries the kinetic energy of a hand grenade.
Kessler syndrome describes a cascading chain reaction where collisions generate debris that causes further collisions, potentially rendering entire orbital bands unusable. The 700–1,000 km altitude range is considered the highest-risk zone. Read our full explainer: Kessler Syndrome.
Debris is tracked primarily by ground-based radar and optical telescopes. The US Space Surveillance Network (18th Space Defense Squadron) maintains the largest public catalogue. Other networks include ESA's Space Debris Office, LeoLabs' commercial radar, and national systems. See our debris tracking guide for details.
In 1997, Lottie Williams of Oklahoma was struck by a small piece of a Delta II rocket — the only confirmed case of a person being hit by orbital debris. Most re-entering debris burns up or lands in oceans (which cover 71% of Earth's surface).
Under the Outer Space Treaty (1967), launching states bear international responsibility for objects they place in orbit. However, there is no binding international law requiring debris removal. The UN COPUOS Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines are voluntary recommendations.
Yes. The ISS performs several debris avoidance manoeuvres per year when tracked objects are predicted to pass within a few kilometres. Its Whipple shields can withstand impacts from particles up to about 1 cm. For larger objects, the crew may shelter in their return vehicles.
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