Space debris and re-entry
18 cases in 17 countries, 1978–2025. Most cases: United States (6), Russia (4), Kazakhstan (3), TC (2), China (2).
Falcon 9 upper stage reentry over Poland
A Falcon 9 second stage that could not perform its deorbit burn reentered uncontrolled on 19 February 2025, dropping fragments in Poland. A lidar in Germany recorded a roughly 10-fold lithium spike in the upper atmosphere about 20 hours after a reentry of the same stage.
Satellite survey ranks Istanbul's Silivri landfill among top methane plumes
A 2025 satellite measurement recorded 8.4 tonnes per hour of methane from the Silivri landfill in Istanbul, and UCLA Law lists the site among the world's 25 largest landfill methane plumes. At stake is the climate impact of methane escaping from the site.
Starship debris from two 2025 test flights lands in Turks and Caicos
Debris from two Starship flights in early 2025 fell on the Turks and Caicos Islands, where a vehicle was hit and flights were disrupted. The cited sources do not say who pays for the clean-up.
Starbase launch site, Boca Chica, Texas: environmental review, penalties and Starship debris
SpaceX's Starbase launch site at Boca Chica, Texas, sits beside habitat for the piping plover and red knot. The FAA approved the Starship programme without a full environmental impact statement, a lawsuit sought one, state and federal agencies found water-discharge violations, the annual launch cap was raised from 5 to 25, and debris from two 2025 flights fell in the Turks and Caicos.
US regulator fines Dish $150,000 over satellite's disposal orbit
The US Federal Communications Commission fined Dish $150,000 in October 2023 after its EchoStar-7 satellite was moved to a disposal orbit about 122 km above the geostationary belt instead of 300 km. It was the first FCC space-debris fine, and the company admitted liability.
Papahānaumokuākea marine debris removal collected 298,180 lb in 2024
Marine debris collected from the Papahānaumokuākea monument in 2024 totalled 298,180 lb, of which 191,860 lb was nets, under a $12 million programme for 2022–2026 funded by NOAA and philanthropists. The cited sources do not say what the removal did for the monument's wildlife.
Cosmos 1408 anti-satellite test (Russia)
On 15 November 2021 Russia destroyed its own satellite Cosmos 1408 with a missile in low Earth orbit. The test produced 1,807 catalogued pieces of debris, and the International Space Station crew sheltered in their spacecraft.
ISS battery pallet debris hits a Florida home
A piece of equipment jettisoned from the International Space Station in March 2021 survived re-entry and struck a house in Naples, Florida, on 8 March 2024. The family filed a claim against NASA for more than $80,000.
ClearSpace-1 and Astroscale debris-removal missions
Public agencies have contracted two companies, ClearSpace in Switzerland and Astroscale in Japan, to remove or approach space debris. In the cited sources (to mid-2026), no piece of real debris had been captured and removed from orbit.
Long March 5B uncontrolled reentries
The core stage of China's Long March 5B rocket reentered the atmosphere without control after launches in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Debris was reported on the ground in Côte d'Ivoire in 2020 and in Indonesia and Malaysia in 2022.
Brazil removes space research chief after Amazon deforestation alerts
Brazil removed Ricardo Galvão, head of the national space research institute INPE, on 2 August 2019, after its DETER satellite alerts showed Amazon deforestation up 88 percent in June. Under the government, action was taken on only about 2 percent of deforestation alerts, which puts the reliability of official monitoring at stake.
Proton-M crash at Baikonur, 2 July 2013: Kazakhstan’s KZT 13.69bn damage claim against Russia
A Proton-M rocket crashed seconds after launch from Baikonur on 2 July 2013 and spilled roughly 600 tons of heptyl, amyl and kerosene. Kazakhstan claimed 13,690,747,305 tenge from Roscosmos; in February 2016 a Kazakh vice-minister said the talks had ended without any sum being determined.
Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 collision
On 10 February 2009 the Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 satellites collided at about 776–791 km altitude. The catalogue lists 1,715 pieces from Cosmos 2251 and 657 from Iridium 33.
Fengyun-1C anti-satellite test
On 11 January 2007 China destroyed its Fengyun-1C weather satellite with a missile. The catalogue lists 3,532 pieces from the event, of which 2,312 were still in orbit on 15 October 2026.
Baikonur launch accidents 1999–2007: Kazakh claims and the compensation agreed
Russian launch accidents on Kazakh territory in 1999, 2006 and 2007 ended in settlements far below Kazakhstan’s first figures: $60.7 million demanded and $2.5 million agreed for the 2007 Proton-M crash, and $340 million first estimated against $1.1 million for the 2006 Dnepr crash.
Baikonur lease, rocket-stage drop zones and fuel monitoring; Proton phase-out and Baiterek
Russia leases Baikonur for $115 million a year, extended to 2050 at the same rent, and its launches drop spent stages on Kazakh land. Kazakhstan’s 2018–2019 national report recorded petroleum by-products in drop-zone soils and stated that a lack of funding in 2019 prevented an environmental impact study of areas affected by fallen stages and debris.
Soviet nuclear satellite Cosmos 954 crashes in Canada; USSR pays C$3m in 1981
The Soviet nuclear satellite Cosmos 954 crashed in northern Canada in January 1978. A 1981 protocol settled Canada’s claim for C$3 million with no admission of liability, and the cited sources say there was no specific rule for space debris.
Monsanto admits using banned pesticide in Hawaii and pays $10.2 million
Monsanto admitted using an illegal pesticide in Hawaii and paid about $10.2 million, Modern Farmer reported in November 2019. The cited sources do not describe any effect on wildlife or water.