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15 Space Telescopes and Satellites That Came Crashing Back to Earth

Not every spacecraft stays in orbit forever. From massive space stations like Skylab, Mir, and Tiangong-1 to multi-ton observatories and failed interplanetary probes, here are 15 space telescopes and

45 min ago

6 Min Read16 Slides
  1. When Orbit Decays and Spacecraft Come Crashing Back to Earth
▼ Visual Countdown

Every satellite in low Earth orbit is locked in a tug-of-war with atmospheric drag and solar activity. While some aging spacecraft are steered into remote ocean graves, others tumble down out of control, scattering fiery debris from the Australian Outback to the Canadian tundra.

Swipe or tap ▶ to begin the countdown

©Wikimedia / NASA Johnson Space & NASA Marshall Space Flight

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