Thousands of Satellites in Graveyard Orbits

Current satellite technology uses propellant to counteract drag forces to maintain orbit​​. Spacecrafts enter into graveyard orbits due to complete fuel consumption which lead to orbit decay​​. This means in order to lengthen missions; satellites often have one task and are designed to maintain one direction with little movement.​ Despite this calculated movement budget, these crafts on average only have a lifespan of 15-20 years. These satellites cannot effectively maneuver away from space debris, leading to damaged critical structures, fractures in the orbit of the satellite, and is a very expensive (10-50 million USD) mission ending phenomenon. ​