Space Debris Threatens Climate Satellites and Data Integrity
The increasing presence of space debris is posing a growing threat to climate satellites, including NASA's Aqua satellite, which has been instrumental in monitoring Earth's climate for nearly 24 years. According to Space.com, the European Space Agency (ESA) has reported a 20% rise in collision risks since 2024, with over 44,000 tracked pieces of debris in orbit. Aqua, part of NASA's Earth Observing System, has had to perform numerous maneuvers to avoid debris, consuming precious fuel and occasionally disrupting data collection. As Aqua nears the end of its operational life, concerns are mounting about the long-term viability of climate monitoring satellites in increasingly crowded low Earth orbit. 
