For most of the twentieth century, the space race was about pride. The United States and the Soviet Union competed to reach the Moon, orbit the Earth, and prove technological superiority. Rockets carried astronauts, flags, and dreams of exploration. But the twenty-first century version of the space race looks very different. This time, the prize …
Fun Fact: Over 27,000 pieces of space debris are currently tracked by NASA, orbiting Earth at speeds of up to 28,000 km/h—fast enough to turn a tiny paint fleck into a deadly projectile. The vastness of space feels infinite, but our immediate orbital zones are starting to look more like a cosmic junkyard. The problem …