Copper needles launched into orbit during the Cold War became space debris

The 480 million microscopic copper needles left in orbit by the US military during the Cold War to secure military communications have become one of today's most dangerous pieces of space debris.

Fearing a complete cut-off of global communications during the Cold War years, the US military launched 480 million microscopic copper needles into Earth's orbit as part of the “Project West Ford”. The primary rationale behind the project was the possibility that the Soviet Union might cut strategic communication cables running along the ocean floor. Aiming to create an artificial reflective layer against the risk of submarine communication lines being severed in a potential war scenario, this move was recorded as one of the most controversial military operations in the history of space exploration.

It was aimed that radio signals launched from ground stations would be reflected back from this metal cloud, creating an artificial ionosphere layer. The massive metal layer surrounding Earth met with great backlash in international astronomy and astrophysics circles. The military program was halted following global objections raised on the grounds that it directly obstructed space observations and made it impossible for radio telescopes to collect data. Although the project was officially cancelled, it has been noted that some of the 480 million copper needles scattered into space continue to orbit today and constitute space debris.