https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/feb/17/japan-to-launch-worlds-first-wooden-satellite-to-combat-space-pollution

"It is estimated that more than 2,000 spacecraft are likely to be launched annually in coming years, and the aluminium that they are likely to deposit in the upper atmosphere as they burn up on re-entry could soon pose major environmental problems.

Recent research carried out by scientists at the University of British Columbia, Canada, revealed that aluminium from re-entering satellites could cause serious depletion of the ozone layer which protects the Earth from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation and could also affect the amount of sunlight that travels through the atmosphere and reaches the ground.

However, this should not be a problem with satellites built of wood, like LignoSat, which, when it burns up as it re-enters the atmosphere after completing its mission, will produce only a fine spray of ­biodegradable ash."

So - conspiracy conspiracy - are all these mini-sats the backdoor way to 'solve' global heating by geo-engineering the atmosphere with light-reflecting particles?

2000 a year, more or less, evermore for the foreseeable. Along with a great deal of other space junk. People used to think that the oceans and atmosphere had limitless capacity, but solid and gaseous junk proliferated exponentially, looks like same again in space. It's good that at least some actors are aware, early on, that same's happening again.

Posted By: cjardwhat does it degrade into and where does it end up?

Good question - perhaps we should worry about distributing nutrients thro virgin emptiness - organisms are being found, experimentally, that can survive (even thrive, mutate?) in space.