Artists impression of the breakup of the European Space Agency's ATV-5 transport vehicle when it reentered Earth's atmosphere in 2015. (Credits: ESA-D. Ducros).

As the combined mass of satellites in orbit climbs, research is needed to better understand the environmental impact of the portions of satellites and their launch vehicles that eventually reenter Earth’s atmosphere.

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Debra Werner is a correspondent for SpaceNews based in San Francisco. Debra earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree in Journalism from Northwestern University. She is a recipient...