Space Junk!
Did you know there’s a whole host of man-made objects, floating around thousands of miles away in space?
Known as “space junk“, they’re orbiting the Earth at this very moment. In fact, space agencies in the USA and Russia recently estimated that it could be getting a bit cramped out there, with trillions of tiny pieces of the stuff!
Space junk covers all sorts of things, such as items leftover from previous space missions, objects sent up into space from Earth and even some momentos that astronauts have left behind.
Our friends at Solar Centre have put together these seriously cool facts on just what is floating around out there, from family photos to pieces of LEGO, we investigate the weird and wonderful world of space junk!
1. Family portrait
Believe it or not, this really is floating around in space. If aliens found it, we wonder what they’d make of it…
2. Dead animals
Yup, sadly, a little bit like animal testing but in space travel terms, during the 1940s – 60s many animals were sent up into the Earth’s atmosphere to see if it was safe for life to survive in space.
3. LEGO figures
Can you imagine three little LEGO pieces taking off on a space mission? Because that’s exactly what happened. Cool!
4. Copper needles
You’ll have to watch your step while floating around in space, because you wouldn’t want to step on one of these!
5. Gene Roddenberry’s ashes
Yes. The very man that created Star Trek had a portion of his ashes sent into space after his death, and this year, his wife’s will be sent up to join him.
6. Space lightning
Psst! Did you know lightning sometimes strikes over volcanoes, too?
7. Cannibals
Galaxies eat each another? Who’d have thought it?
8. Pizza
Imagine you’re an alien and it’s really tricky to get a pizza delivery. Cue Pizza Hut, who send a salami pizza out into the midst of space in 2001. They must have been over the moon – literally!
9. Tool bag
That’s right, a £650,000 bag of tools is just floating around in space – they must be some seriously pricey pliers!
10. Nazi space station
Here are ten more facts about the Second World War!
11. A cold star
Now that’s a fact for the playground!
12. Space debris
Space junk is orbiting the Earth right now, and travelling at speeds of over 17,000 miles per hour!
13. Mickey Mouse
We’ve all heard of the face on the moon but this is just getting silly…
14. Astronaut’s footprints
Those footprints have been there since 1969!
15. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan
Imagine being so famous that you have an asteroid named after you – that’s exactly what happened to American film stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan!
Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable asteroid primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!
16. Tank of ammonia
Good job there’s no fine for littering in space, hey?
17. Vegetables
Getting access to fresh veg in space can prove a little tricky, so astronauts are now growing their own in order to get their five-a-day!
18. Rain cloud
Blimey, that’s one cosmic cloud!
19. Urine (ew!)
Well, when you’ve gotta go, you’ve gotta go!
20. Diamond planets
A planet made of diamonds, you say? Get us a spaceship, and quick!
Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable space facts primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!
Sources and references: telegraph.co.uk, list25.com, space.com, en.wikipedia.org, mashable.com, bbc.co.uk, mic.com, whatculture.com.
What do you make of all that space junk? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!
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COMMENTS1
Jalen
shopnerd
super
Awesome
OMG
poo head
OMG
poo head
LOL COOL
Taevin
a planet made of diamonds is it actually real?
WOW
Max
Wow
Harry
I wonder if the urine came back to earth!?!?
Harry
Cool!!!
Mbfijh
So cool
Wow
cool
Ky
Yes
Thomas
wow this is so cool
Amelia
cool! Is it weird that I want one of those urine crystals?
Noah buckmaster
We need to stop this before bad stuff happen
Sophie
Wow! I love space.!
joshua.h
wow I never new eny of that
Nik21
That's so weird
VA69
Are you serious! There is a Mickey Mouse crater on mecury! I can't believe it!
Purplecat910
Wow, that is amazing! Although, we really shouldn't leave so much rubbish in space.
Réiltín Collins
there should be a fine for littering in space!!!
Nik21
How did all of those things get there in the first place
JJ12
Wait lego in space wow I guess free lego from space
paw
WOW
KawaiiShark
This so useful.
IndigoRiver
amazing my dad is a big fan of star trek so when i tell him hell be amazed
lizzya9
Eww dont read #19 I dont ever want to go to space NEVER EVER
squiddy plays
EPIC
Dinoslasher
Operation lego figures are they going to send a lego rocket
Bryce_Bennett
Good
KRISTIAN
AWESOME
Squid-lover
Someone should clear that mess up!
pineapple4
amazing
Bight
Good
Annabanana
OMGOMGOMG!!!!!!! I just love diamonds soooo much that I seriously want to go to space! Which- now that Im thinking of it- never wouldve said in a long time! ( omg )
Jeff
Wow
lucythesnake
WOW! Amazing! Never knew there was LEGO (R) in space!
findoutkid663
awsome
Rainbowfly
LOL!
turtle999
what????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! These surprise me !! 19 is very strange!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Annonomus
Will the space junk crash into Earths atmosphere? If so, what if it makes its way through the atmosphere and crashes into earth? Maybe this is how the world will end; it may even start with those Lego figurines!!!
erin2004
some of those are wierd
Mia
WOAH
Elephants and pizza
So much cool stuff!
Chiara
Wow !
SruttiTutti
Awesome article!
Gecko_lover_XD
LOL!!!
Molland
Amazing
elles
i never thought you whould find lego figures
teo
SUPER DOOPER
Derpyface
Ok i never knew there was pizza in space!
Charlotte_E
Very Interesting!
aaron7895
cool stuff bro awesome!!!!! never knew urine was in space
MK-7067
wow amazing bags the Lego figure
Fran2005
Ha Ha! Get me a spaceship, QUICK!
SPACEGIRLGEEK
COOL LOVE SPACE
parotcowboy
Sòoooooòooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cool
quest
cooooooooooooooooooooool
PotatoGaming605
Epic! Anyone hungry for some space pizza?
Alice2
Wow- looks a bit messy up there!
Meloetta
so cool and slightly l gross
Dianiece
Other life forms must think we are the junkyard planet and have probably named Earth "Cesspit".
Sofia_is_awesome
Awesomely awesome!!!
Billllllllllllllllllllllllllly
Epic
Charlotte123
All of the space junk is so Awesome! Some day I want to go and see it all.
GooseyRedFox
I think this is all awesome! I want to go to space and see all this stuff! Please can you take me there on my birthday?!
CUSTOMIZE YOUR AVATAR