space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

Did you know there’s a whole host of man-made objects, floating around thousands of miles away in space? 

Known as “space junk“, they’re orbiting the Earth at this very moment. In fact, space agencies in the USA and Russia recently estimated that it could be getting a bit cramped out there, with trillions of tiny pieces of the stuff!

Space junk covers all sorts of things, such as items leftover from previous space missions, objects sent up into space from Earth and even some momentos that astronauts have left behind.

Our friends at Solar Centre have put together these seriously cool facts on just what is floating around out there, from family photos to pieces of LEGO, we investigate the weird and wonderful world of space junk!

1. Family portrait

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

Believe it or not, this really is floating around in space. If aliens found it, we wonder what they’d make of it…

2. Dead animals

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

Yup, sadly, a little bit like animal testing but in space travel terms, during the 1940s – 60s many animals were sent up into the Earth’s atmosphere to see if it was safe for life to survive in space.

3. LEGO figures

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

Can you imagine three little LEGO pieces taking off on a space mission? Because that’s exactly what happened. Cool!

4. Copper needles

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

You’ll have to watch your step while floating around in space, because you wouldn’t want to step on one of these!

5. Gene Roddenberry’s ashes

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

Yes. The very man that created Star Trek had a portion of his ashes sent into space after his death, and this year, his wife’s will be sent up to join him.

6. Space lightning

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

Psst! Did you know lightning sometimes strikes over volcanoes, too?

7. Cannibals

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

Galaxies eat each another? Who’d have thought it?

8. Pizza

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

Imagine you’re an alien and it’s really tricky to get a pizza delivery. Cue Pizza Hut, who send a salami pizza out into the midst of space in 2001. They must have been over the moon – literally!

9. Tool bag

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

That’s right, a £650,000 bag of tools is just floating around in space – they must be some seriously pricey pliers!

10. Nazi space station

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

Here are ten more facts about the Second World War!

11. A cold star

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

Now that’s a fact for the playground!

12. Space debris

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

Space junk is orbiting the Earth right now, and travelling at speeds of over 17,000 miles per hour!

13. Mickey Mouse

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

We’ve all heard of the face on the moon but this is just getting silly…

14. Astronaut’s footprints

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

Those footprints have been there since 1969!

15. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

Imagine being so famous that you have an asteroid named after you – that’s exactly what happened to American film stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan!

Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable asteroid primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

16. Tank of ammonia

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

Good job there’s no fine for littering in space, hey?

17. Vegetables

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

Getting access to fresh veg in space can prove a little tricky, so astronauts are now growing their own in order to get their five-a-day!

18. Rain cloud

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

Blimey, that’s one cosmic cloud!

19. Urine (ew!)

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

Well, when you’ve gotta go, you’ve gotta go!

20. Diamond planets

space junk - 20 seriously strange things you'll find in space

A planet made of diamonds, you say? Get us a spaceship, and quick!

Did you know that we have a FREE downloadable space facts primary resource? Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike!

Sources and references: telegraph.co.uk, list25.com, space.com, en.wikipedia.org, mashable.com, bbc.co.uk, mic.com, whatculture.com.

What do you make of all that space junk? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!

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COMMENTS

  • Jalen

  • shopnerd

    super

  • Awesome

  • OMG

  • poo head

    OMG

  • poo head

    LOL COOL

  • Taevin

    a planet made of diamonds is it actually real?

  • WOW

  • Max

    Wow

  • Harry

    I wonder if the urine came back to earth!?!?

  • Harry

    Cool!!!

  • Mbfijh

    So cool

  • Wow

  • cool

  • Ky

    Yes

  • Thomas

    wow this is so cool

  • Amelia

    cool! Is it weird that I want one of those urine crystals?

  • Noah buckmaster

    We need to stop this before bad stuff happen

  • Sophie

    Wow! I love space.!

  • joshua.h

    wow I never new eny of that

  • Nik21

    That's so weird

  • VA69

    Are you serious! There is a Mickey Mouse crater on mecury! I can't believe it!

  • Purplecat910

    Wow, that is amazing! Although, we really shouldn't leave so much rubbish in space.

  • Réiltín Collins

    there should be a fine for littering in space!!!

  • Nik21

    How did all of those things get there in the first place

  • JJ12

    Wait lego in space wow I guess free lego from space

  • paw

    WOW

  • KawaiiShark

    This so useful.

  • IndigoRiver

    amazing my dad is a big fan of star trek so when i tell him hell be amazed

  • lizzya9

    Eww dont read #19 I dont ever want to go to space NEVER EVER

  • squiddy plays

    EPIC

  • Dinoslasher

    Operation lego figures are they going to send a lego rocket

  • Bryce_Bennett

    Good

  • KRISTIAN

    AWESOME

  • Squid-lover

    Someone should clear that mess up!

  • pineapple4

    amazing

  • Bight

    Good

  • Annabanana

    OMGOMGOMG!!!!!!! I just love diamonds soooo much that I seriously want to go to space! Which- now that Im thinking of it- never wouldve said in a long time! ( omg )

  • Jeff

    Wow

  • lucythesnake

    WOW! Amazing! Never knew there was LEGO (R) in space!

  • findoutkid663

    awsome

  • Rainbowfly

    LOL!

  • turtle999

    what????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! These surprise me !! 19 is very strange!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

  • Annonomus

    Will the space junk crash into Earths atmosphere? If so, what if it makes its way through the atmosphere and crashes into earth? Maybe this is how the world will end; it may even start with those Lego figurines!!!

  • erin2004

    some of those are wierd

  • Mia

    WOAH

  • Elephants and pizza

    So much cool stuff!

  • Chiara

    Wow !

  • SruttiTutti

    Awesome article!

  • Gecko_lover_XD

    LOL!!!

  • Molland

    Amazing

  • elles

    i never thought you whould find lego figures

  • teo

    SUPER DOOPER

  • Derpyface

    Ok i never knew there was pizza in space!

  • Charlotte_E

    Very Interesting!

  • aaron7895

    cool stuff bro awesome!!!!! never knew urine was in space

  • MK-7067

    wow amazing bags the Lego figure

  • Fran2005

    Ha Ha! Get me a spaceship, QUICK!

  • SPACEGIRLGEEK

    COOL LOVE SPACE

  • parotcowboy

    Sòoooooòooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cool

  • quest

    cooooooooooooooooooooool

  • PotatoGaming605

    Epic! Anyone hungry for some space pizza?

  • Alice2

    Wow- looks a bit messy up there!

  • Meloetta

    so cool and slightly l gross

  • Dianiece

    Other life forms must think we are the junkyard planet and have probably named Earth "Cesspit".

  • Sofia_is_awesome

    Awesomely awesome!!!

  • Billllllllllllllllllllllllllly

    Epic

  • Charlotte123

    All of the space junk is so Awesome! Some day I want to go and see it all.

  • GooseyRedFox

    I think this is all awesome! I want to go to space and see all this stuff! Please can you take me there on my birthday?!

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