I’m sure you’ll be as unsurprised as I am that when it comes to managing upper stages, China is not following them.
[Update a few minutes later]
Maybe we should make a “Hungry Hippo” version of Starship one day to collect and de-orbit spent rocket stages and other space junk
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 26, 2026
If we are truly going to become a durable spacefaring civilization, the problem of uncontrolled, derelict stages and vehicles will have to be solved.
As far as Elon’s remark, we will need a process to render derelict stuff safe (would not want a boom scenario) and then transport them to a collection point for recovery, recycling and then return for disposal of the undesirable bits.
Shred the leftover crap and pack it into standardized transport bins.