Development of the number of objects in Earth orbit
Development of the number of objects in Earth orbit
The graphic shows the development of space debris since its first survey in 1957. The monthly number of objects with a size of around 10 centimetres has risen from under 1000 pieces in the 1960s to just under 18,000 in 2017. The total number of objects includes fragmentation debris, spacecraft, mission-related objects and rocket bodies.
