Jonathan's Space Report | Space Reentry Catalog

Catalog of Space Object Reentries

In this catalog I assess and categorize each reentry of a historical artificial space objects (payloads, rocket bodies, ejected parts but not fragmentation debris) to compare with present disposal standards.

The Disposal Codes page explains the different kinds of satellite and rocket disposal tabulated below.
The Stats section below summarizes the number of reentries of each kind, and the expected disposal type of each currently orbiting spacecraft.
The data are in the Main Catalog and the columns in that catalog are explained in Column Descriptions

A subset of the main catalog with only the known reentry locations is Main Catalog Subset
There is also a tab-separated-value version of the Main Catalog and of the statistics summary and of the known-locations-only tab-separated-value subset of the Main Catalog

Statistical summary table [NOTE CAVEATS IN CODES.HTML!]

In the table below, rather than estimating casualty risk, we regard reentries of objects with masses greater than a threshold mass M0 as problematic.

For this edition of the table, M0 has been set to 5000 kg. Note that less massive objects, depending on design, may also pose a significant casualty risk.

Explanation of columns for this table

Updated: 2025 Mar 28 0152:05

ReentryStats

Code Desc Clause Star Disposed Star Active PL Disposed PL Active RB Parts Total free PL Att Disp PL Att Ac Total

Disposal consistent with US ODMSP

D-SO Down/SO Targeted a1 0 0 2 0 481 18 501 0 0 501

D-DO Down/Deorbited a1 0 0 373 0 640 2018 3031 0 0 3031

D-LAND Down/Landed a1/f 0 0 2086 0 1 0 2087 0 0 2087

D-LEO25 Down/LEO Reentry <25yr, Low mass M<M0 b 1009 0 3694 0 3363 6253 13310 284 0 13594

D-NL25 Down/LEO-crossing <25yr, Low mass M<M0 b 0 0 214 0 639 584 1437 2 0 1439

U-LEO25 Up/LEO <25yr expected,Low mass M<M0 b 28 7105 1501 1140 122 35 2798 10 0 2808

U-NL25 Up/LEO-crossing <25yr expected, Low mass M<M0 b 0 0 2 0 16 12 30 2 0 32

U-MEO-E MEO Graveyard (ell.) c.I 0 0 25 6 209 109 349 4 0 353

U-MEO-C MEO Graveyard (circ) c.II 0 0 201 95 121 57 474 7 0 481

U-GGYD GEO Graveyard d 0 0 9 579 59 8 655 2 0 657

D-LUN Down/Lunar L 0 0 68 0 7 64 139 0 0 139

U-HEL Heliocentric a2 0 0 247 42 224 316 829 8 0 837

Subtotal G Subtotal good disposal - 1037 7105 8422 1862 5882 9474 25640 319 0 25959

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Other disposal

D-LEO25M Down/LEO Reentry <25yr, Massive M>M0 - 0 0 37 0 102 0 139 3 0 142

D-NL25M Down/LEO-crossing <25yr, Massive M>M0 - 0 0 0 0 8 0 8 0 0 8

U-LEO25M Up/LEO <25yr expected, Massive M>M0 - 0 0 4 0 3 0 7 0 0 7

U-NL25M Up/LEO-crossing <25yr expected, Massive M>M0 - 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1

D-LEO Down/LEO Reentry >25yr - 0 0 44 0 50 81 175 0 0 175

D-NL Down/LEO-crossing Reentry >25yr - 0 0 25 0 43 64 132 1 0 133

U-LEO+ Up/LEO >25yr exceeded - 0 0 1311 0 645 509 2465 14 0 2479

U-LEO Up/LEO >25yr expected - 0 0 845 490 220 339 1894 10 0 1904

U-NL+ Up/LEO-crossing >25yr exceeded - 0 0 25 0 23 109 157 2 0 159

U-NL Up/LEO-crossing >25yr expected - 0 0 6 0 7 76 89 0 0 89

U-DEST Destroyed - 0 0 9 0 4 3 16 0 0 16

U-GTO Crosses LEO and GEO - 0 0 126 52 371 141 690 3 0 693

U-XMEO Violates MEO rule - 0 0 46 34 5 3 88 0 0 88

U-XGEO Crosses GEO - 0 0 41 0 121 43 205 1 0 206

U-GEO In GEO - 0 0 727 0 136 118 981 0 0 981

U-CISL Cislunar - 0 0 26 9 0 15 50 0 0 50

Subtotal B Subtotal bad disposal - 0 0 3272 585 1739 1501 7097 34 0 7131

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

ReentryStats
Code	Desc	Clause	Star Disposed	Star Active	PL Disposed	PL Active	RB	Parts	Total free	PL Att Disp	PL Att Ac	Total

Disposal consistent with US ODMSP

D-SO	Down/SO Targeted	a1	0	0	2	0	481	18	501	0	0	501
D-DO	Down/Deorbited	a1	0	0	373	0	640	2018	3031	0	0	3031
D-LAND	Down/Landed	a1/f	0	0	2086	0	1	0	2087	0	0	2087
D-LEO25	Down/LEO Reentry <25yr, Low mass M<M0	b	1009	0	3694	0	3363	6253	13310	284	0	13594
D-NL25	Down/LEO-crossing <25yr, Low mass M<M0	b	0	0	214	0	639	584	1437	2	0	1439
U-LEO25	Up/LEO <25yr expected,Low mass M<M0	b	28	7105	1501	1140	122	35	2798	10	0	2808
U-NL25	Up/LEO-crossing <25yr expected, Low mass M<M0	b	0	0	2	0	16	12	30	2	0	32
U-MEO-E	MEO Graveyard (ell.)	c.I	0	0	25	6	209	109	349	4	0	353
U-MEO-C	MEO Graveyard (circ)	c.II	0	0	201	95	121	57	474	7	0	481
U-GGYD	GEO Graveyard	d	0	0	9	579	59	8	655	2	0	657
D-LUN	Down/Lunar	L	0	0	68	0	7	64	139	0	0	139
U-HEL	Heliocentric	a2	0	0	247	42	224	316	829	8	0	837
Subtotal G	Subtotal good disposal	-	1037	7105	8422	1862	5882	9474	25640	319	0	25959
-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Other disposal

D-LEO25M	Down/LEO Reentry <25yr, Massive M>M0	-	0	0	37	0	102	0	139	3	0	142
D-NL25M	Down/LEO-crossing <25yr, Massive M>M0	-	0	0	0	0	8	0	8	0	0	8
U-LEO25M	Up/LEO <25yr expected, Massive M>M0	-	0	0	4	0	3	0	7	0	0	7
U-NL25M	Up/LEO-crossing <25yr expected, Massive M>M0	-	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	1
D-LEO	Down/LEO Reentry >25yr	-	0	0	44	0	50	81	175	0	0	175
D-NL	Down/LEO-crossing Reentry >25yr	-	0	0	25	0	43	64	132	1	0	133
U-LEO+	Up/LEO >25yr exceeded	-	0	0	1311	0	645	509	2465	14	0	2479
U-LEO	Up/LEO >25yr expected	-	0	0	845	490	220	339	1894	10	0	1904
U-NL+	Up/LEO-crossing >25yr exceeded	-	0	0	25	0	23	109	157	2	0	159
U-NL	Up/LEO-crossing >25yr expected	-	0	0	6	0	7	76	89	0	0	89
U-DEST	Destroyed	-	0	0	9	0	4	3	16	0	0	16
U-GTO	Crosses LEO and GEO	-	0	0	126	52	371	141	690	3	0	693
U-XMEO	Violates MEO rule	-	0	0	46	34	5	3	88	0	0	88
U-XGEO	Crosses GEO	-	0	0	41	0	121	43	205	1	0	206
U-GEO	In GEO	-	0	0	727	0	136	118	981	0	0	981
U-CISL	Cislunar	-	0	0	26	9	0	15	50	0	0	50
Subtotal B	Subtotal bad disposal	-	0	0	3272	585	1739	1501	7097	34	0	7131
-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Note: "Good disposal" means good from the point of view of risk for in-orbit debris collisions; can still be very "bad" from the point of view of ground casualty list for massive reentries.

Further caveats on the following items from US ODMSP Section 4-1:

a(1): Casualty risk not addressed.
b: Area-time rule and casualty risk not addressed.
c.I: Perturbations not modelled
c.II: Perturbations not modelled
d: 100 km pad used as a proxy for unmodelled perturbations
e: This clause (resonance deorbit) not addressed at all
f: Not currently addressed except for intact spacecraft landings.
Lunar disposal not mentioned in ODMSP.

Note: The ESA standard (ESSB-ST-U-007, 2023) and the ISO standard (ISO-24113, 2023) have generally similar requirements to the US standard, although the ISO standard restricts the GEO protected zone to inclinations of less than 15 degrees, and the ESA standard could use some improvements in clarity.