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Originally Posted by TheMercenary
I didn't know that 500miles was considered low orbit. I am surprised that things don't fall into the atmosphere with more frequency.
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ISS really is not in space. Do to compromises to give the Air Force a space plane (Space Shuttle), ISS really sits in earth's upper atmosphere some 200+ miles up. ISS must constantly fire rockets to push itself higher.
LEO (low earth orbit) I believe is below 1000 miles.
About a year ago, the US military tested a satellite destruction weapon. Last week, I believe the Air Force said the debris was mostly gone.
Curious is how devastating that collision was. Military officers who monitor this stuff expected the collision to result in many larger pieces. That's another 800 pieces - any one of which can take out any manned space vehicle - space shuttle, ISS, etc. Just another 800 particles that must be tracked constantly for generations so that not one tiny particle gets within miles of any satellite or manned mission.
Littering laws are not enforced.