This is a list of artificial objects reentering Earth's atmosphere by mass (see space debris). Such objects are often completely destroyed by reentry heating, but large enough objects or components can survive. Most of the objects which reenter are relatively small; larger objects have survived but usually break up into smaller pieces during reentry.[1] [2] [3]
The list includes group entries for the 134 Space Shuttle external tanks used between 1981 and 2011. During Space Shuttle launches, the tanks reached space without reaching orbit and re-entered the atmosphere, breaking apart before impacting the ocean. The mass of those tanks varied throughout the years, as improvements made them lighter - successive modifications reduced their empty weight from approximately 35000kg (77,000lb) to approximately 58500lb for the Super Lightweight Tank used after 1998.[4] The tanks were also not necessarily completely empty when discarded.[5]
Many other launch systems have discarded spent stages into space, but not all stages go into orbit or even reach space (by passing the Kármán line). For example, the Space Shuttle side boosters did not reach space, as the highest altitude reached during their flight was only about 220,000 feet (67 km).
| Object | Owner | Mass | Reentry Date | Age[6] | Reentry type | data-sort-type="date" | Launch Date[7] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | 120000kg (260,000lb) | Controlled | 20 February 1986 | ||||
| USA | 100000kg (200,000lb) | Partially Controlled | 14 March 2024 | ||||
| Starship S29 | USA | 100000kg (200,000lb) | 6 June 2024 | Controlled | 6 June 2024 | ||
| USA | 69000kg (152,000lb) | Partially Controlled | 14 May 1973 | ||||
| USSR | 40000kg (90,000lb) | Uncontrolled | 13 May 1982 | ||||
| S-II Stage / Skylab | USA | 36,200 kg (79,700 lb) | 11 January 1975 | 18 Months | Uncontrolled | 14 May 1973 | |
| STS external tank (Standard Tank) | USA | 35000kg (77,000lb) and remaining propellants | (1981–83) | Partially Controlled | |||
| USSR | 35000kg (77,000lb) | Controlled | 29 September 1977 | ||||
| STS external tank (Lightweight Tank) | USA | 30000kg (70,000lb) and remaining propellants | (1983–2003) | Partially Controlled | 1981-2011 | ||
| STS external tank (Super Lightweight Tank) | USA | 26500kg (58,400lb) and remaining propellants | (1998–2011) | Partially Controlled | 1981-2011 | ||
| Long March 5B core (5B-Y1 flight) | China | 21600kg (47,600lb) | 6 days | Uncontrolled | 5 May 2020 | ||
| Long March 5B core (5B-Y2 flight) | China | 21600kg (47,600lb) | [8] | 9 days | Uncontrolled | 29 April 2021 | |
| Long March 5B core (5B-Y3 flight) | China | 21600kg (47,600lb) | [9] | 6 days | Uncontrolled | 24 July 2022 | |
| Long March 5B core (5B-Y4 flight) | China | 21600kg (47,600lb) | [10] | 4 days | Uncontrolled | 31 October 2022 | |
| USSR | 19400kg (42,800lb) | Uncontrolled | 11 May 1973 | ||||
| USSR | 19000kg (42,000lb) | Controlled | 2 June 1976 | ||||
| USSR | 18900kg (41,700lb) | Controlled | 19 April 1971 | ||||
| USSR | 18900kg (41,700lb) | Controlled | 25 June 1974 | ||||
| USSR | 18900kg (41,700lb) | Controlled | 26 December 1974 | ||||
| USA | 17100kg (37,700lb) | Uncontrolled | 29 January 1964 | ||||
| USA | 16900kg (37,300lb) | Uncontrolled | 28 May 1964 | ||||
| USA | 16650kg (36,710lb) | Uncontrolled | 18 September 1964 | ||||
| USSR | 15000kg (33,000lb) | Controlled | 17 July 1977 | ||||
| USSR | 15000kg (33,000lb) | Controlled | 2 March 1983 | ||||
| USA | 14910kg (32,870lb) | Controlled | 5 April 1991 | ||||
| Phobos-Grunt[11] | Russia | 13500kg (29,800lb) | Uncontrolled | 9 November 2011 | |||
| USA | 10297kg (22,701lb) [12] | [13] | Uncontrolled | 16 February 1965 | |||
| USA | 9058kg (19,969lb) | Uncontrolled | 25 May 1965 | ||||
| China | 8506kg (18,753lb) | [14] | Uncontrolled | 29 Sep 2011 | |||
| UARS[15] | NASA | 5900kg (13,000lb) | Uncontrolled | 12 September 1991 | |||
| ROSAT[16] | 2400kg (5,300lb) | Uncontrolled | 1 June 1990 | ||||