orbital debris
2018 AMOS Conference
The Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference is the premier technical conference in the nation devoted to space surveillance. The cross section of military, contractor, and academic participation fuels important …
ISS leak highlights concerns about orbital debris and station operations
As the crew of the International Space Station worked Aug. 30 to fix, at least temporarily, a minor air leak, the incident illustrated the growing orbital debris risk to the outpost and strains in American and Russian approaches to ISS operations.
Virgin Orbit aims to offer responsive launch and constellation maintenance services
Virgin Orbit plans to offer customers a variety of services including responsive launch, maintenance of large satellite constellations and potentially debris removal.
ESA to investigate links between debris removal and satellite servicing
The European Space Agency is revising its e.Deorbit program to look for synergies between the mission and satellite servicing vehicles.
UN committee approves space sustainability guidelines
A United Nations committee reached agreement last week on nine guidelines intended to reduce the risk of collisions in space and other harmful space activities.
Op-ed | Do we care about orbital debris at all?
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has promised to integrate better economic analysis across the commission’s work. Orbital debris would be a fine place to start, and the sooner the better.
Astroscale to partner with SSTL on orbital debris removal mission
Astroscale, a company developing technologies for removing orbital debris, announced Nov. 21 it has awarded a contract to Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) to develop one part of an upcoming demonstration mission.
IAA Conference on Space Situational Awareness
The International Academy of Astronautics will host its IAA Conference on Space Situational Awareness (ICSSA) in Orlando, Florida, November 13-15. Leaders from academia, government, and industry will come together at this unique conference. ICSAA …
International partnerships to address orbital debris in absence of broader accord
International cooperation in dealing with the growing problem or orbital debris is essential, a panel of experts argued, but said not to expect a comprehensive accord on the issue for the foreseeable future.
On-orbit operations the next frontier for space, experts say
Operating while in orbit is the next big challenge for the space sector, be it manufacturing, assembly, satellite servicing, or debris removal, experts said.
Op-ed | Space debris is more than a nuisance; it’s a borderline violation of international agreement
Despite all the discussion about orbital debris, there hasn’t been much analysis of whether established rules and agreements are being violated by spacefaring countries that create the debris.
Launch of space-debris-removal experiment delayed amid safety reviews
RemoveDebris, a space-junk-wrangling spacecraft once slated to hitch a ride to the International Space Station with SpaceX in June, won’t launch until the end of 2017 or early 2018 to allow additional NASA safety reviews, according to the European project’s manager.
Experts call for legislation and improved tracking to deal with orbital debris
As the amount of debris in low Earth orbit continues to increase, experts at a recent conference called for both improved efforts to track debris as well as national legislation to mitigate that growth.
Launchspace pitches debris sweeper that doubles as satellite tracker
Launchspace Technologies Corp. proposes sending platforms as large as football fields into low Earth orbit to sweep up space debris. The platforms also would be equipped with sensors to help U.S. government agencies detect and track orbiting satellites and debris.
Space-tracking ideas proliferating as fast as orbital debris
Commercial firms are developing models, simulations, algorithms and proposing new sensors to help the government improve its ability to tackle the problems of adversaries and orbital debris threatening U.S. satellites.
Op-ed | Congested space is a serious problem solved by hard work, not hysteria
Since we first started placing objects into space there have been 11 known low Earth orbit collisions, and three known collisions at geostationary orbit. Think of it: 135 space shuttle flights, all of the Apollo, Gemini and Mercury flights, hundreds of telecommunications satellites, 1,300 functioning satellites on orbit today, half a million total objects in space larger than a marble, and fewer than 15 known collisions. Why do people worry?
