Cleanup mission brought back down to earth

An experimental Japanese mission to clear "space junk" or rubbish from the Earth's orbit has ended in failure, officials said on Monday, in an embarrassment for Tokyo.

More than 100 million pieces of garbage are thought to be whizzing around the planet, including castoff equipment from old satellites and bits of rocket, which experts say could pose risks for future space exploration.

Scientists at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) were trying to test an electrodynamic 'tether' - created with the help of a fishing net company - to slow down the orbiting rubbish and bring it into a lower orbit.