U.S. Launches Surveillance Satellite to Monitor Space Junk

There are more than 20,000 pieces of human made debris orbiting the earth, in addition to the 1,000 active satellites (which will eventually become debris). Read more about NASA's plan to monitor orbital debris, otherwise known as Space Junk here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/03/AR2010070301160.html

And their "Greening of Orbital Debris" plan here:
http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oce/appel/ask-academy/issues/volume2/AA_2-12_F_greening.html