This is a list of artificial objects reentering Earth's atmosphere by mass (see space debris). Such objects are often completely destroyed by reentry heating, but large enough objects or components can survive. Most of the objects which reenter are relatively small; larger objects have survived but usually break up into smaller pieces during reentry.
The list includes group entries for the 134 Space Shuttle external tanks used between 1981 and 2011. During Space Shuttle launches, the tanks reached space without reaching orbit and re-entered the atmosphere, breaking apart before impacting the ocean. The mass of those tanks varied throughout the years, as improvements made them lighter - successive modifications reduced their empty weight from approximately to approximately for the Super Lightweight Tank used after 1998. The tanks were also not necessarily completely empty when discarded.
Many other launch systems have discarded spent stages into space, but not all stages go into orbit or even reach space (by passing the Kármán line). For example, the Space Shuttle side boosters did not reach space, as the highest altitude reached during their flight was only about 220,000 feet (67 km).
Examples of heaviest re-entering spacecraft or components
Object Owner Mass Reentry Date AgeFor composite objects such as space stations, age and launch date are based on the first launched module. Reentry type Launch DateMir Russia Controlled 20 February 1986Starship S28 USA Partially Controlled 14 March 2024Starship S29USA ControlledStarship S30USA Controlled Starship S31USA Controlled Starship S35USA Partially ControlledSkylab USA Partially Controlled 14 May 1973Salyut 7/Cosmos 1686 USSR Uncontrolled 13 May 1982S-II Stage / SkylabUSA36,200 kg (79,700 lb)18 MonthsUncontrolled STS external tank (Standard Tank) USA and remaining propellants (1981–83) Partially Controlled Salyut 6/Cosmos 1267 USSR Controlled STS external tank (Lightweight Tank) USA and remaining propellants (1983–2003) Partially Controlled 1981-2011 STS external tank (Super Lightweight Tank) USA and remaining propellants (1998–2011) Partially Controlled 1981-2011Long March 5B core (5B-Y1 flight) China 6 days Uncontrolled 5 May 2020Long March 5B core (5B-Y2 flight) China 9 daysUncontrolled Long March 5B core (5B-Y3 flight) China 6 daysUncontrolled 24 July 2022Long March 5B core (5B-Y4 flight) China 4 daysUncontrolled Cosmos 557 USSR Uncontrolled 11 May 1973Salyut 5 USSR Controlled 2 June 1976Salyut 1 USSR Controlled 19 April 1971Salyut 3 USSR Controlled 25 June 1974Salyut 4 USSR Controlled 26 December 1974Apollo SA-5 Nose Cone USA Uncontrolled 29 January 1964Apollo SA-6 CSM BP-13 USA Uncontrolled 28 May 1964Apollo SA-7 CSM BP-15 USA Uncontrolled 18 September 1964Cosmos 929 USSR Controlled 17 July 1977Cosmos 1443 USSR Controlled 2 March 1983CGRO USA Controlled 5 April 1991Phobos-Grunt Russia Uncontrolled 9 November 2011 Pegasus 1 USA Uncontrolled 16 February 1965Pegasus 2 USA Uncontrolled 25 May 1965 Tiangong-1 China Uncontrolled 29 Sep 2011UARS NASA Uncontrolled 12 September 1991ROSAT DLR Uncontrolled 1 June 1990
See also Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris Studies Space Shuttle external tank List of heaviest spacecraft List of space debris producing events List of space debris fall incidents
References