Not a problem -- this time

Two defunct orbital masses seem to have not collided.
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/10/leolabs-tracking-high-risk-collision-probability/

"Roughly one hour after the time of possible collision, LeoLabs
confirmed “No indication of collision� via a statement on Twitter.
[...]
Both objects, an old Soviet-era satellite and the upper stage of a
Chang Zheng 4C Chinese rocket, are inoperable and uncontrollable.
Therefore, there was no way to move one of them out of the way to avoid
the potential collision."

There's a lot of stuff up there like this. I know various sorts of
clean-up ideas have been floated. India has already demonstrated that
satellite-killer weapons aren't the answer (2019). Two "relatively
simple" ideas would be small satellites that dock with the corpse, and
either provide retro-rockets for a de-orbit burn, or inflate/extend
something to increase drag. These are likely viable only for the
lowest targets and may be limited in applicable sizing. The other
downside is that valuable materials are atomized during burn-up.

Space tugs can be used to collect corpses into a cemetary orbit, but we
don't have a lot of space tugs in use yet. A cemetary orbit would
allow future "mining" of the materials, but is probably not fun to
manage.

Then there's devices like the X-37B. Bring the corpse back intact and
near term. What are the [estimated] limits of the X-37B's orbital
reach? Is launch vehicle capability or re-entry profile the more
limiting factor?

What do you with ears to ground think will be a first viable
demonstration of debris control?

/dps


--
"This is all very fine, but let us not be carried away be excitement,
but ask calmly, how does this person feel about in in his cooler
moments next day, with six or seven thousand feet of snow and stuff on
top of him?"
_Roughing It_, Mark Twain.