Close Encounter: Massive Space Debris Narrowly Avoids Earth Orbit Collision

Two large pieces of space debris, a defunct Soviet payload and a spent Chinese rocket body, narrowly avoided a collision in low Earth orbit. The close call highlights the urgent need to address the growing issue of space debris, as a collision between these objects would have created thousands of additional debris pieces. The existing debris poses a threat to satellites, astronauts, and the sustainability of space activities. Measures to mitigate space debris are being adopted, but more action is needed to prevent the dangerous cascade effect known as Kessler Syndrome.