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Space junk falls back to Earth faster as sunspot numbers climb

Objects lose altitude faster once sunspot counts reach roughly 70 percent of their cycle peak

An illustration of Earth from space, showing satellites and debris fragments that are orbiting the planet, with the sun visible in the background.

As the amount of space junk orbiting Earth grows, so do the dangers of collisions with spacecraft and satellites. The solar cycle could help predict the fate of such junk.

MARK GARLICK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

By Carolyn Gramling

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