Orbital Housekeeping before Mars? From Ghost Fleets to Space Elevators

Space may be vast, but it’s getting crowded. 

With over 170 million pieces of debris orbiting Earth—ranging from defunct satellites to flecks of paint—our planet’s low-Earth orbit is starting to resemble a cosmic junkyard. And unlike roadside litter, these fragments travel at 17,000 mph, turning even a stray bolt into a potential missile.

The threat isn’t theoretical. The International Space Station has performed multiple evasive manoeuvres in recent months to dodge debris. The risk of Kessler Syndrome—a cascading chain reaction of collisions—is no longer science fiction. It’s a looming reality.

Cleaning the Skies

Enter the cleanup crews. Agencies like ESA and startups like ClearSpace are pioneering Active Debris Removal (ADR) missions. These include:

• Robotic arms to grab defunct satellites

• Net and harpoon systems for tumbling debris

• Laser nudges to alter orbits from Earth or space

• Drag sails and electrodynamic tethers to accelerate reentry

Japan’s Astroscale and the UK’s ClearSpace are leading the charge, with missions like ClearSpace-1 set to launch in 2026 to capture and deorbit a dead satellite. NASA’s recent cost-benefit analysis shows that removing even small debris (1–10 cm) could yield net benefits within a decade.

Such UK-Japan cooperation of more use than another RAF fantasy jet?

The Moon may look pristine from Earth, but it’s quietly become a cosmic landfill. Since the first lunar missions, humans have left behind an estimated 400,000 to 500,000 pounds (about 20 London buses!) of debris on the Moon’s surface. And yes—this includes 96 bags of human waste: urine, faeces, and vomit.

What’s Been Left Behind?

• Human waste: Apollo astronauts jettisoned bags of bodily waste to reduce return weight. These remain frozen and intact due to the Moon’s lack of atmosphere.

• Spacecraft wreckage: Over 50 crash landings(!) from missions by the US, Russia, China, India, Israel, and Japan have scattered wreckage across the surface.

• Discarded gear: Cameras, boots, gloves, shovels, golf balls, and even nail clippers were left behind as non-essential items.

• Sentimental items: A family photo, a Bible, and memorial plaques were placed by astronauts as tributes.

• Scientific instruments: Retroreflectors and seismic sensors still function today, helping measure the Moon’s distance from Earth.

Why It Matters

• Environmental impact: The Moon has no wind or water to degrade waste. Everything left behind could remain for millions of years.

• Contamination risk: Exhaust fumes from landers may spread across the surface, potentially contaminating polar ice deposits critical for future missions.

• Planetary protection: While the Outer Space Treaty urges peaceful use and minimal contamination, it lacks enforcement mechanisms for cleanup.

The Moon’s littered surface is a reminder that even in space, our footprint follows us. As lunar exploration ramps up, the question isn’t just how we’ll get there—but how responsibly we’ll stay. A dedicated clean up mission after the excesses of the 1970s, and just 6 Apollo moon landings, is clearly on the cards with an AI debris map.

Earth Scan: Eyes on the Planet

While we clean above, we’re also watching below. The FireSat constellation, developed by Muon Space, is designed to scan the entire Earth every 20 minutes using infrared sensors. It can detect wildfires as small as 5 metres, track gas flares, and monitor urban heat islands.

This real-time Earth scanning isn’t just for disaster response—it’s a leap forward in climate monitoring, urban planning, and even geopolitical surveillance. With over 50 satellites planned by 2030, FireSat represents a new era of planetary awareness.

And an ideal complement to UK's What3Words already winning UN awards in Mongolia for the post office.

Space Elevators: The Long Cable Up

If we’re serious about sustainable space access, space elevators may be the holy grail. These theoretical megastructures would stretch from Earth’s surface to geostationary orbit, allowing cargo and humans to ascend without rockets.

While materials like carbon nanotubes are still in development, the concept is gaining traction. Mars and the Moon—with lower gravity—may host the first prototypes. In sci-fi and speculative engineering circles, space elevators are seen as the backbone of a post-launch economy.

Ghost Fleets and Transponders

And then there’s the eerie side of orbital traffic. In speculative fiction, ghost fleets refer to phantom transponder signals from long-lost ships. Whether it’s sensor echoes, software glitches, or something stranger, these Marie Celeste anomalies raise questions about space traffic transparency.

Modern transponders help track fleets and prevent collisions. But what happens when a satellite goes dark—or worse, gets hacked? The idea of uncooperative objects in orbit is no longer just a plot device. It’s a real challenge for space situational awareness.

From debris nets to ghost signals, the future of space isn’t just about exploration—it’s about maintenance, monitoring, and mystery. And as we build the infrastructure to clean and scan our skies, we may find that the biggest challenge isn’t getting to space or Mars—it’s keeping it safe once we’re there.