what will happen to the unused satellites?

Answer 1

what happens is they become spacejunk. They will just float in space till something will pull or drag it by it's gravitational force, such as passing by sattelites, comets & asteroids.
Stelar pertubation or Earth's gravity.
maby even another planet depending on how far it drifts .

Actually spacejunk is becomming an increasing threat to Earth .

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For decades, space experts have worried that a speeding bit of orbital debris might one day smash a large spacecraft into hundreds of pieces and start a chain reaction, a slow cascade of collisions that would expand for centuries, spreading chaos through the heavens. In the last decade or so, as scientists came to agree that the number of objects in orbit had surpassed a critical mass — or, in their terms, the critical spatial density, the point at which a chain reaction becomes inevitable — they grew more anxious. Early this year, after a half-century of growth, the federal list of detectable objects (four inches wide or larger) reached 10,000, including dead satellites, spent rocket stages, a camera, a hand tool and junkyards of whirling debris left over from chance explosions and destructive tests.

Now, experts say, China’s test on Jan. 11 of an antisatellite rocket that shattered an old satellite into hundreds of large fragments means the chain reaction will most likely start sooner. If their predictions are right, the cascade could put billions of dollars’ worth of advanced satellites at risk and eventually threaten to limit humanity’s reach for the stars.Federal and private experts say that early estimates of 800 pieces of detectable debris from the shattering of the satellite will grow to nearly 1,000 as observations continue by tracking radars and space cameras. At either number, it is the worst such episode in space history.Today, next year or next decade, some piece of whirling debris will start the cascade, experts say.

Answer 2

Now, the unusued satellites (the old ones) will remain in space, as currently, we don't know/have no effective way to take them out. It is becoming a problem, because the chances of hitting a former satellite are growing.

For now, they will rest their, and some will be used as tourist destinations. The rest will be disposed of eventually, once a effective way to destroy is provided.

Answer 3

They are either left where they are, or decelerated enough to cause them to re-enter the atmosphere. If they are slowed down, then some where over open ocean, you might see a brief fireball as it comes down out of orbit. This does happen, a lot.

Answer 4

Modern satelites are deliberately put into orbit so that, after their estimated lifetime is up, or their intended period of usage is over, they'll fall back to earth and burn up in the atmosphere.

The older ones just stay up there and float around.

Answer 5

Given some time, they will cease to function. Given more time, their orbits will decay and they will most likely burn up when re-entering the atmosphere.

Answer 6

they are just there... they might drop back to earth, or they might flow elsewhere.. you can go clean it up if you want to!

if you're lucky enough you might find one in your backyard.

Answer 7

they will be shot down by China

Answer 8

they either fall back to earth or they turn into wat is called 'space junk'.....satellites and so many other retro rockets make up space junk.......oh yeah they just float away ..

Answer 9

homeless aliens will claim them