On Wednesday, June 26, 2024, shortly after 9 p.m. EDT, NASA instructed the nine astronauts aboard the International Space Station to head to their shelters. This precautionary measure was in response to the breakup of a Russian satellite, RESURS-P1. The astronauts spent about an hour in their shelters before it became clear the space station was not in the path of the debris.

More on RESURS-P1

According to Leo Labs, a California company that provides collision avoidance service and real-time conjunction alerts for satellite operators:

The approximately 6,000 kg [13,000 lb] satellite was in a nearly circular orbit at about 355 km [220 miles up] at the time of the event.

While it is not yet clear what caused the breakup of the Russian satellite, the satellite ended its service back in 2021. So what was previously one defunct space object is now more than 100 pieces. With the increasing amounts of satellites, both operational and past their useful lives, accumulating in orbit, the crowded space around Earth is becoming more and more of a concern. According to the Orbiting Now website, there are currently more than 10,000 active satellites in orbit around Earth, with nearly 3,000 inactive satellites still in orbit.