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Space junk is raining from the sky. Who's responsible when it hits the Earth?

With thousands of satellites in orbit and record numbers of rocket launches, experts warn there's a growing risk of space debris crashing into the Earth — and possibly hitting somebody.

In March 2022, a couple living in the rural town of São Mateus do Sul, Brazil, were shocked to find a 600-kilogram piece of smashed metal lying just 50 metres from their home. Barry Sawchuk and his son were out in his field planning this year's seeding when they found what they thought at first was garbage, but it turned out to be the remains of a SpaceX rocket re-entry from back in February. In addition to physical damage, countries could potentially seek compensation for economic costs that come from planes or ships being forced to divert due to debris re-entry, said Ewan Wright, a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia studying the sustainability of the outer space environment.

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