Not all space debris burns up in the atmosphere before it makes it back to Earth. PaulFleet/iStock via Getty Images – By Matthew Ray, Professor of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Stout And by Reese Hufnagel, Research Assistant, Department of Chemistry and Physics, University of Wisconsin-Stout Published: 2026 May 13 – When it comes to space debris, what goes up is coming down more often – and not safely. When spacecraft launch, some components, including nonreusable rocket boosters, are jettisoned to decrease weight, leaving them to intentionally burn up as they reenter the atmosphere. Satellites also enter the atmosphere at the end of their … Continue reading Falling space debris poses an escalating risk as spacecraft get stronger and more heat resistant