Why Do Satellites Not Collide With Each Other That Often?

With thousands of satellites orbiting earth right now it seems like it would be likely that satellites should be colliding with each other all the time. Images like this don't help the cause -- which are used quite often when showing how cluttered space is. This is an over exaggeration on how cluttered space is with satellites, because the picture suggests that satellites are the size of large towns when most of them are smaller than a football pitch.

A collision with multiple satellites in space is not very safe for us down on Earth. We don't want things weighing tonnes falling down towards Earth destined for destruction, assuming they don't hit the ocean which they typically do.

So why do satellites not collide with each other that often? Find out in our latest sciBRIGHT video.