The probability that falling spacecraft could do harm on Earth is very low, but it is not negligible. The risk will only increase as more satellites reach the end of their lives and reenter Earth's atmosphere. To minimize danger to populated areas, NASA is calling for spacecraft components to be designed not to survive reentry. The heavens deliver tens of tons of man-made refuse into the Earth's atmosphere each year. While there is a very low probability that a bystander on terra firma will suffer injury from falling space clutter, the risk cannot be disregarded.
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