Space Oddities: The Strangest Things Orbiting Earth
From personal artifacts to accidental debris, the cosmos holds an eclectic collection of human-made objects. These peculiar items, intentionally launched or unintentionally lost, provide a glimpse into our past ambitions and present-day challenges in space.
Cosmic Waste and Wonder
Astronauts, confined within spacecraft, must manage their bodily waste carefully. For years, urine was simply released into space, instantly freezing into shimmering, crystalline clouds. Some astronauts considered this sight a stunning visual experience. More recently, the International Space Station adopted a filtration system to recycle urine into drinking water.
In 2018, Elon Musk‘s SpaceX sent a cherry-red Tesla Roadster into space. The car, complete with a spacesuit-wearing dummy, called “Starman,” now orbits the sun. The website whereisroadster.com tracks the car’s journey, which equals 91 trips around the world’s roads without recharging.
Symbolic Gestures in the Void
NASA sent the Juno probe towards Jupiter in 2011, carrying three tiny Lego figurines. These aluminum minifigs represent Jupiter, his wife Juno, and Galileo Galilei. This collaboration with the Lego Group aimed to spark interest in science and space.
“The records are meant for any alien civilisations that might stumble upon them.”
—Unknown
Launched in 1977, the Voyager spacecraft carry golden records. These phonograph records include greetings in various languages, sounds of Earth, and music from throughout history. They also contain 155 images, illustrating aspects of our planet. These spacecraft are currently beyond our solar system, entering interstellar space. According to NASA, the Voyager probes have traveled over 15 billion miles since launch (NASA).
Remnants of Human Endeavor
The ashes of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, were launched into space in January 2024. This successful launch carried a portion of his ashes beyond the Earth-Moon system.
Space debris poses increasing dangers. This junk includes dead satellites, spent rocket boosters, and flecks of paint, all traveling at high speeds. The accumulation of space junk may lead to “Kessler syndrome,” a chain reaction of collisions, rendering Earth’s orbit unusable for decades.
Artist Forrest Myers devised a plan in 1969 to place artwork on the Moon. The “Moon Museum,” a tiny ceramic tile etched with art from various artists, including Andy Warhol, was secretly installed on the lunar lander.
In 2008, astronaut Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper accidentally lost a toolbag during maintenance outside the ISS. The toolbag, containing grease guns and a scraper, drifted away, becoming an expensive piece of space litter.
During the Cold War, the U.S. launched 480 million copper needles into space. Project West Ford aimed to create an artificial ionosphere to bounce radio signals, an experiment that mostly failed, with clumps of the needles still orbiting Earth.
Mystery Object
A mysterious 60-foot-long object, known as J002E3, orbits Earth, spinning every minute. First spotted in 2002, the object was initially thought to be an asteroid. Further analysis suggested it was the third stage of the Apollo 12 rocket.
The cosmos holds a strange blend of human creations, from art and waste to advanced technology. These objects, both intentional and accidental, offer unique insights into our exploration and endeavors in space.