The Globalist

A total of 5,182 cataloged objects in the orbit are attributable to the United States.

While the source of space launches has diversified, Russia remains one of the two space superpowers.

China’s 2007 test of an anti-satellite missile added nearly 3,000 fragments to the number of deadly or destructive items orbiting earth.

Much of the French debris can be traced to an accident in 1996, when a military satellite collided with a spent French rocket.