The Kessler syndrome (also called the Kessler effect, collisional cascading, or ablation cascade), proposed by NASA scientists Donald J. Kessler and Burton G. Cour-Palais in 1978, is a scenario in which the density of … See more

The Kessler syndrome is troublesome because of the domino effect and feedback runaway wherein impacts between objects of … See more

The Envisat satellite is a large, inactive satellite with a mass of 8,211 kg (18,102 lb) that orbits at 785 km (488 mi), an altitude where the debris … See more

NORAD, Gabbard and Kessler
Willy Ley predicted in 1960 that "In time, a number of such accidentally too-lucky shots will accumulate in space and will have to be removed … See more

Every satellite, space probe, and crewed mission has the potential to produce space debris. The theoretical cascading Kessler syndrome … See more

Designers of a new vehicle or satellite are frequently required by the ITU to demonstrate that it can be safely disposed of at the end of its life, for example by use of a controlled atmospheric reentry system or a boost into a graveyard orbit. For US launches or … See more

In 2024, Jon Kelvey noted in an overview article that "the scientific community hasn’t yet reached a consensus about whether the Kessler Syndrome has begun, or, if it has not begun, how bad it will be when it starts. There is consensus, however, that the basic concept is … See more