Meanings
- A theoretical scenario in which the density of objects in low Earth orbit due to space pollution is high enough that collisions between objects could cause a cascade in which each collision generates debris that increases the likelihood of further collisions.
Synonyms: Kessler effect
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounA theoretical scenario in which the density of objects in low Earth orbit due to space pollution is high enough that collisions between objects could cause a cascade in which each collision generates debris that increases the likelihood of further collisions.
Origin
Proposed by NASA scientist Donald J. Kessler in 1978.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
Kessler syndrome. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kessler%20syndrome
“Kessler syndrome.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kessler%20syndrome. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Kessler syndrome,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kessler%20syndrome.
Source: Kessler syndrome on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.