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Space debris problem highlighted in new series of photographs

Our Fragile Space, an exhibition from photographer Max Alexander, focuses on the impact of the millions of pieces of cosmic waste circling Earth

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NEW CLOUDS ABOVE US The modern world relies on satellites for its communications and commerce. While mostly invisible to us as we go about out daily lives, our entire modern way of living ? both socially and professionally ? is intimately linked with the orbital space around the Earth. How we treat this extraterrestrial environment will determine how much we can rely on it in the future. ?In this view of Greenwich, London, you?ve got examples of what?s in space. I photographed about 300 artefacts ranging from satellites to rocket bodies, satellite parts, solar panels, all the way down to the screws and a glove to show what?s up there. The photography was done over a one year period, across North America, Europe and the UK. I wanted to show this from a human perspective ? from the ground looking up. I chose Greenwich because of its history of astronomy and because from there you can see the financial district of London to highlight the modern world?s connection to the satellites that circle Earth.? Max Alexander

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Shooting stars and Starlink stellites leaving streaks in photographs of the night sky
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A balloon in a field

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An adapted Boeing 747 called Cosmic Girl

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This photograph taken on September 25, 2022, shows an antenna of the Starlink satellite-based broadband system donated by the US tech billionaire Elon Musk in Izyum, Kharkiv region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Yasuyoshi CHIBA / AFP) (Photo by YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP via Getty Images)

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Artist's impression of CubeSats orbiting Earth.

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Technology

Global satellite map will help hunt down illegal fishing vessels

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A global fishing watch satellite screenshot

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Space

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