Editing Low Earth orbit (section)

==Space debris==
{{missing information|section|debris lifespan|date=August 2023}}
The LEO environment is becoming congested with [[space debris]] because of the frequency of object launches.<ref>{{Cite web|last=United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs|date=2010|title=Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space|url=https://www.iadc-home.org/documents_public/view/search_field/eNortjI2tlJy1CsuTcpKTS7RdtTLS8xNBVIlielAMjk_ryQ1r6RYyRpcMAypDUU~/page/1/id/126#u|access-date=October 19, 2021|website=Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC)}}</ref> This has caused growing concern in recent years, since collisions at orbital velocities can be dangerous or deadly. Collisions can produce additional space debris, creating a [[domino effect]] known as [[Kessler syndrome]]. [[NASA|NASA's]] Orbital Debris Program tracks over 25,000 objects larger than 10 cm diameter in LEO, while the estimated number between 1 and 10 cm is 500,000, and the number of particles bigger than 1 mm exceeds 100 million.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ARES {{!}} Orbital Debris Program Office {{!}} Frequently Asked Questions |url=https://www.orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/faq/ |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=NASA.gov |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220902133204/https://www.orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/faq/ |archive-date=2022-09-02}}</ref> The particles travel at speeds up to {{convert|17,500|mi/h|km/s km/h mi/h|abbr=on|order=out|sigfig=2|adj=ri0}}, so even a small impact can severely damage a spacecraft.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Garcia |first=Mark |date=2015-04-13 |title=Space Debris and Human Spacecraft |url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/news/orbital_debris.html |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=NASA.gov |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908122950/https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/news/orbital_debris.html |archive-date=2022-09-08}}</ref>