This story was originally published by Grist with the headline Earth’s orbit is filling up with junk. Greenhouse gases are making the problem worse on Mar 10, 2025.

The growing release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere could pose a serious threat to the future of space operations, especially in low Earth orbit (LEO). A recent study published in Nature explores the potential consequences of increased emissions on the capacity of LEO to support satellite operations.

The continued release of greenhouse gases into Earth's atmosphere could increase the longevity of space junk in low Earth orbit, a new paper reveals. Under a high-emissions scenario, this could mean a sharp reduction in the amount of satellites that can safely operate in low Earth orbit by 2100 – putting significant limitations on what humanity can put up there,