Humanity has become accustomed to viewing the night sky as a symbol of boundless purity, possibilities, and mysteries. However, the reality unfolding several hundred kilometers above the Earth’s surface increasingly resembles an overflowing urban landfill. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which has long sought to become the “sheriff” of near-Earth orbit, recently gave up. After making loud promises to introduce strict rules for the disposal of spent rocket stages, the agency officially abandoned its intentions.
A legal vacuum allows private space companies to pollute near-Earth orbit with debris without restrictions. Illustration generated by Copilot AI
This event came as a real shock to environmentalists and scientists, who warn of a critical increase in the risk of collisions in space, which could have catastrophic consequences. The FAA concession is not just a bureaucratic decision — it is the result of a complex intertwining of big politics, billionaire ambitions, and economic expediency, which seems to have once again outweighed the safety of future generations.
Time bombs
What exactly do we leave in space? After a rocket launches a satellite into its designated position, its upper stage — a giant metal structure containing fuel residues — often remains in orbit. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), such “dead” objects account for about 11% of all objects in orbit that can be tracked.
The problem is that these steps do not simply hang in space. Over time, their orbits degrade, and they begin an uncontrolled fall. Large pieces of metal may not burn up completely in the atmosphere, posing a threat to people on Earth. But they are even more dangerous in orbit: even a small piece of paint that has peeled off an old stage turns into a projectile at cosmic speeds, capable of destroying a working telecommunications satellite or damaging the International Space Station.
What did the FAA propose?
In September 2023, the FAA proposed a revolutionary strategy. Commercial companies would have to choose one of five options for “civilized” disposal of their equipment:
Controlled reentry. The rocket uses its remaining fuel to deliberately crash into an uninhabited area of the ocean.
Orbital graveyard. Moving the stage to a significantly higher, less congested orbit, where it will not interfere with anyone for thousands of years.
Exit trajectory. Sending the stage into deep space, beyond the gravitational influence of Earth.
The five-year rule. Guaranteed return to the atmosphere within a short period after launch.
Uncontrolled combustion. Calculation of the trajectory so that the object is guaranteed to break up into small, safe fragments upon friction with the air.
The aim was to level the playing field: US government missions have long complied with similar standards, while the private sector has continued to benefit from a legal vacuum.
Lobbying against regulation
However, giants such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin have met these initiatives with hostility. The main argument was the price. Disposal requires additional fuel, a more complex control system, and, accordingly, reduces the payload that the rocket can deliver into orbit. For a business where every kilogram costs thousands of dollars, this meant direct losses.
The companies also resorted to legal technicalities, questioning the FAA’s right to intervene in the issue of space debris at all. They argued that the agency’s jurisdiction ends where the vacuum begins. Under this pressure, in January 2026, the FAA officially backed down, stating that the issue required further study.
Political winds
The FAA’s decision fits perfectly into the overall political landscape in the United States. The administration of President Donald Trump has committed to providing maximum support to commercial space exploration. In August 2025, the president signed a decree that effectively declared war on “bureaucratic barriers.”
Under this policy, environmental reviews and strict licensing requirements are seen as obstacles to American leadership in space. In a world where China and other countries are actively expanding their presence in orbit, Washington has decided not to burden its own developers with unnecessary “cleanup” costs.
Is there light at the end of the tunnel?
Despite the cancellation of official rules, market leaders are trying to save face. SpaceX, for example, actively reports on its own successes. If in 2024, after 134 launches, there were 13 Falcon 9 stages left in orbit, then in 2025, the company brought this figure down to a record low of three stages out of a total of 165 launches.
This demonstrates that the problem is technologically solvable. The question is whether voluntary initiatives by private companies will be enough to prevent a scenario in which near-Earth space becomes so cluttered that space flight becomes impossible for anyone. For now, the “space lobby” is winning, and orbital chaos continues to accumulate, awaiting a new generation of explorers who will have to clear away these metal debris.
Earlier, we reported on how the new space race would turn Earth’s atmosphere into a waste incineration plant.
According to propublica.org