space debris
Op-ed | Congress must act now to avert a catastrophe in space
Astronauts aboard the ISS have witnessed a significant number of near misses. It’s only a matter of time before the next catastrophic event takes place – one in which lives, or key national security and commercial assets, are lost.
Chinese official calls for protection of space assets, international coordination mechanisms
China needs to accelerate the development of space asset protection policies and related international coordination mechanisms, according to a space industry official.
Moon impact: Chinese rocket stage still in space says U.S. Space Command
A spent rocket upper stage from China’s 2014 Chang’e-5 T1 mission thought set to impact the moon did not reenter the atmosphere as previously stated, according to U.S. Space Command.
Moon-bound rocket stage still most likely from 2014 Chang’e mission, despite China’s denial
A rocket stage expected to impact the moon is still most likely to belong to China’s 2014 moon mission, despite a denial from the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
China claims rocket stage destined for lunar impact is not from its 2014 moon mission
Rocket debris set to impact the moon in March does not originate from the 2014 Chang’e-5 T1 mission, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims.
Op-ed | Space Debris Management is even more urgent than Space Traffic Management
STM alone is insufficient to guarantee safe space operations. Space Debris Management (SDM) — the mitigation and remediation of space debris, including fragments and massive derelict objects — must be pursued with even more urgency than STM.
Chinese satellite in near miss with Russian ASAT test debris
A Chinese satellite experienced a near miss Tuesday with a piece of debris created by Russia’s destructive anti-satellite test conducted in November.
Breakup of China’s Yunhai-1 (02) satellite linked to space debris collision
U.S. space tracking has linked the breakup of Chinese satellite Yunhai-1 (02) to a collision with a small piece of debris from a Russian satellite launch, according to NASA.
An object is now orbiting alongside China’s Shijian-21 debris mitigation satellite
U.S. space tracking has detected a new object for unknown purposes orbiting along with China’s recently launched Shijian-21 space debris mitigation technology satellite.
Electrodynamic tethers speed up satellite reentry timelines
Tethers Unlimited’s Terminator Tape lowered a cubesat into Earth’s atmosphere in eight months, while a nearly identical satellite without a 70-meter conductive tail is expected to remain in orbit for more than a decade.
LeoLabs declares Costa Rica Space Radar operational
LeoLabs’ announced April 22 that two S-band radars in Costa Rica have started tracking objects in low Earth orbit and delivering data to customers.
French startup demonstrates iodine propulsion in potential boost for space debris mitigation efforts
French startup ThrustMe has performed the first on-orbit tests of an innovative iodine-fueled electric propulsion system, proving its ability to change a CubeSat’s orbit.
ESA Clean Space tackles space junk one component at a time
The European Space Agency’s Clean Space initiative is assisting in the development of satellite components that are designed for demise, an approach to satellite development that advocates for the safe disposal of spacecraft by destructive atmospheric reentry.
Op-ed | Protecting our assets from space debris
On Nov. 2, the United States and its International Space Station partner nations celebrated 20 years of humans continuously living and working in outer space. Much has changed in the space environment over the past two decades, but one thing is cl…
Aerospace Corp. raises questions about pollutants produced during satellite and rocket reentry
As the combined mass of satellites in orbit climbs, research is needed to better understand the environmental impact of the portions of satellites and their launch vehicles that eventually reenter Earth’s atmosphere.
Taking out the trash: One man’s mission to tidy up the space environment
SpaceNews contributor Leonard David discussed space debris and other issues with Moriba Jah, associate professor at The University of Texas at Austin, a specialist on space situational awareness, space traffic monitoring, and the hazard of orbital debris.
Space debris a frequent topic at Satellite Innovation 2020
Tracking and avoiding the growing debris field in low Earth orbit was clearly on the minds of speakers on the first day of the Satellite Innovation 2020 conference.
Op-ed | Social distancing, self-isolation, and … space debris?
In addition to better preparing us for the next pandemic, or teaching us how to prevent it altogether, reflection also reveals lessons we can apply to other issues we face as a collective society, writes Mike Lindsay.
Bridenstine criticizes China for uncontrolled rocket reentry
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine criticized China May 15 for the “really dangerous” reentry of a large rocket stage earlier in the week that led to debris landing in Africa.
LeoLabs unveils automated Collision Avoidance service
Silicon Valley space mapping startup LeoLabs unveiled a service May 13 to help commercial and government satellite operators avoid collisions with debris and other satellites in low Earth orbit.
