Space Junk and Collisions thread

[wjfox]

Astronauts take cover as defunct Russian satellite splits into nearly 200 pieces

Fri 28 Jun 2024 00.14 BST

A defunct Russian satellite has broken up into nearly 200 pieces of debris in orbit, forcing astronauts on the International Space Station to take shelter for about an hour and adding to the mass of space junk already in orbit, US space agencies said.

There were no immediate details on what caused the breakup of the Resurs-P1 Russian Earth observation satellite, which Russia declared dead in 2022.

US Space Command, tracking the debris swarm, said there was no immediate threat to other satellites.

The event took place at around 10am mountain time (1600 GMT) on Wednesday, Space Command said. It occurred in an orbit near the space station, prompting US astronauts onboard to shelter in their spacecraft for roughly an hour, Nasa’s Space Station office said.

Russian space agency Roscosmos, which operated the satellite, did not respond to a request for comment or publicly acknowledge the event on its social media channels.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/art ... ce-station

[wjfox]

[Powers]

So big?

[weatheriscool]

Space Junk Removal Mission Completes Inspection Flight, Captures Debris Footage
Astroscale's ADRAS-J inspection clips will help prepare the company for its removal flight later this decade.
By Adrianna Nine August 1, 2024
https://www.extremetech.com/aerospace/s ... res-debris

Astroscale, a Japanese space sustainability firm, has zeroed in on the target of its first robotic debris removal mission. A 15-year-old rocket's upper stage is scheduled to be plucked from low Earth orbit (LEO) later this decade, but before Astroscale's mission could move forward, it had to determine the space junk's physical condition. A fly-around conducted earlier this year allowed Astroscale to capture unprecedented footage of the rocket stage, which has since been deemed intact and ready for removal.

Astroscale launched its ADRAS-J spacecraft on Feb. 18 from a Rocket Lab Electron rocket on New Zealand's coast. Funded by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), ADRAS-J is fitted with eight diagonal thrusters and four straight thrusters, which helped it rendezvous with the retired upper stage in April. The spacecraft was a few hundred meters away from its target then, but in May, it crept closer, eventually coming within 50 meters (164 feet) for a fixed-point observation. In June, it kicked off its first of three fly-around operations. The resulting footage, supplied by Astroscale and edited by Space.com senior producer Steve Spaleta, offers a 360-degree view of the rocket body.

[wjfox]

Boeing-Built Satellite Explodes In Orbit, Littering Space With Debris

By Ryan Erik King
Published Yesterday

Boeing seemingly can’t catch a break between the endless problems with the 737 Max and the Starliner’s failed crewed test flight. Intelsat announced on Monday that one of its satellites, built by Boeing, broke up in geostationary orbit. Multiple organizations are tracking the debris to avoid collisions and a potential cascading catastrophe. It’s unclear why the satellite exploded into at least 20 pieces.

https://jalopnik.com/boeing-built-satel ... 1851678317



Image: Intelsat

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European Space Agency's Plan to Reach Zero Space Debris Calls for Global Collaboration
by Evan Gough
January 23, 2025

Introduction:

(Science Alert) The space debris problem won't solve itself. We've been kicking the can down the road for years as we continue launching more rockets and payloads into space.

In the last couple of years, organizations – especially the European Space Agency (ESA) – have begun to address the problem more seriously.

Now they're asking this question: What will it take to reach zero space debris?

At first glance, it may seem unreal, maybe naive. There are billions of pieces of space junk orbiting Earth, and more than 25,000 of those pieces are larger than 10 cm.

Though small, these pieces are travelling fast and can cause significant damage when impacting satellites or space stations. What will it take to get rid of all this debris?

Read more of the Science Alert article here: https://www.sciencealert.com/esas-plan ... aboration

To view the Zero Debris Technical Booklet: https://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/spa ... oklet.pdf

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UAF Scientist Designing Satellite to Hunt Small Space Debris
February 27, 2025

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) A University of Alaska Fairbanks scientist is participating in a U.S. government effort to design a satellite and instruments capable of detecting space debris as small as 1 centimeter, less than one-half inch.

Debris that small, which cannot currently be detected from the ground, can damage satellites and other spacecraft in low-Earth orbit.

The idea is to outfit future satellites, such as those vital for communication systems, with technology to avoid space debris collisions.

Space debris travels at high speeds, about 17,500 mph. A 1-centimeter object traveling at that speed has an impact energy equivalent to that of a small explosive such as a hand grenade.

Space debris comes in many shapes and sizes and consists of defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, fragments from collisions, and other human-made objects that no longer serve a purpose.

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1075287

Program Manager Dr. Alexis Truitt, a former NASA Hubble researcher turned IARPA (Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity) Program Manager, talks about the SINTRA (Space Debris Identification and Tracking) program:

[wjfox]

[caltrek]

Technologies to Mitigate Space Debris and Improve In-orbit Satellite Services
April 3, 2025

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) Sustainability in space and the fight against the accumulation of waste produced in Earth orbit are the objectives pursued by PERSEI Space, a company whose partners include two researchers from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) and which has developed a space electrodynamic tether technology that is useful in this area.

This spin-off, which has been incubated by the European Space Agency (ESA) and is being supported by the Center for Innovation in Entrepreneurship and Artificial Intelligence (C3N-IA) of the UC3M - Leganés Tecnológico Science Park, has the support of the European Innovation Council through the E.T.PACK-F and E.T.COMPACT projects.

“Our company was created to address two of the biggest challenges facing the space sector today: space debris removal and in-orbit services. The latter allow us to extend the useful life of satellites and carry out key activities such as refueling, repair and towing of satellites from their initial orbit to their final destination,” explains Jesús Manuel Muñoz Tejeda, CEO and co-founder of PERSEI Space.

Space debris poses a very serious threat to the sustainability of space operations since, due to the high speed at which debris moves in Earth orbit, an impact can result in severe damage and the generation of more small debris. In addition, the current density of space debris is already above the threshold that triggers an uncontrolled chain of collisions, known as the Kessler syndrome.

To get rid of this space junk, PERSEI Space is working on space tethers, a technology with three key features. “The first is that it does not need fuel, unlike other de-orbiting systems. The second is that our technology is reversible; it can serve to both increase and decrease the orbital height . And the third feature is that it is scalable, since it serves a wide range of satellite masses. With all this, we can develop autonomous de-orbiting systems, a unique feature of our technology that ensures that the satellite does not leave space debris, even if it ceases to be operational,” explains Jesús Manuel Muñoz Tejeda.

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1079306

[caltrek]

Experts Call for Urgent Action in Space Debris
by Jan Hattenbach
April 10, 2025

Introduction:

(Sky & Telescope) Humankind may lose access to orbits around Earth if it doesn't keep space clean. We need more than prevention at this point, experts warned last week at the European Space Debris Conference in Bonn, Germany: “Preventing the addition of new space debris is no longer sufficient,” said Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), at an opening press conference. “We must now actively clean up the space-debris environment to halt the onset of a chain reaction that could render heavily utilized regions unusable.”

Holger Krag, who leads ESA’s Space Safety Program, had the numbers: Around 40,000 objects considered space debris — including burned-out rocket stages, retired satellites, and smaller fragments — are currently tracked by ground-based radars. Maneuvers to move active spacecraft out of harm’s way are executed on a daily basis. And there are 130 million smaller fragments that radars can’t pick up, in which case there’s no way to prevent collisions.

When collisions happen, they produce even more debris: A millimeter-size object traveling at a few thousand kilometers per hour hit a solar panel on ESA’s Sentinel A satellite in 2016. The collision didn’t destroy the spacecraft, but it released fragments large enough that they’re now among those tracked by radar. “Some of them have already triggered collision warnings on other satellites,” Krag said.

Read more here: https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy- ... debris/

[wjfox]

Over 6,600 tons of space junk are floating around in Earth's orbit

April 16, 2025

We've deployed so many satellites into space over the last few decades that we now have a massive orbital junk problem. The European Space Agency (ESA) noted in its Annual Space Environment Report that more than 6,600 tons of space junk are currently floating about in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), between 100 - 1,200 miles (160 - 2,000 km) above our planet's surface.

That's up from an estimated 6,000 tons last noted in 2023, according to NASA. It's a mostly invisible but massive problem, because "we depend on satellites as a source of information for our daily life, from navigation, to telecommunications, to services, to Earth observation, including defense and security," ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher told DW.

[...]

For its part, the ESA plans to have the ClearSpace-1 debris removal spacecraft remove the suitcase-sized PROBA-1 satellite (used for tech demonstrations) from orbit in 2028. Built by Swiss firm ClearSpace, it weighs about 112 kg and can grab space junk using four 'claws.' Tokyo-based Astroscale also offers debris removal services. Both companies have been contracted by the UK Space Agency to remove a bunch of non-operational British satellites by next year.

If these plans actually work out, they'll be among the first real space junk cleanup missions ever. Scaling such efforts to clear out even a fraction of the enormous quantity of debris in LEO will be difficult, and take ages.

https://newatlas.com/space/6-600-tons-s ... rth-orbit/



An illustration of the ClearSpace-1 debris removal spacecraft capturing a Vespa payload adapter (a now-scrapped project). Credit: ClearSpace SA

[wjfox]

[caltrek]

Southwest Research Institute Develops Orbital Debris Detection System for Spacecraft
August 18, 2025

Introduction:

(Eurekalert) SAN ANTONIO — August 18, 2025 — Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has developed and tested a micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) detection and characterization system designed for satellites and spacecraft to monitor impacts from space debris. The system provides critical post-impact data, ensuring awareness of an impact even when damage is not immediately apparent.

Space debris around Earth is a growing problem, a result of commercial satellites exploding, anti-satellite missile tests and accidents that contribute to a growing junk field. Depending on its location, debris can remain in orbit for years, posing a threat to operational spacecraft.

The MMOD system can be mounted onto a spacecraft or integrated into its design. It consists of a structural element embedded with sensors that collect data for software analysis to identify impact details. These data can provide insights into the size and volume of particles orbiting Earth, including many that are too small to be seen from the planet’s surface. It can also alert spacecraft or satellites when they’ve been hit.

“Most spacecraft survive minor impacts without systems breaking or operators on Earth knowing,” said SwRI Institute Scientist Dr. Sidney Chocron, who led development of the MMOD detection and characterization system. “Our device is designed to send data back to Earth with important insights before any damage is apparent, which can also influence future design decisions.”

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1094959

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[weatheriscool]

[wjfox]

Removing these 50 objects from orbit would cut danger from space junk in half

3 Oct 2025 21:33

A new listing of the 50 most concerning pieces of space debris in low-Earth orbit is dominated by relics more than a quarter-century old, primarily dead rockets left to hurtle through space at the end of their missions.

"The things left before 2000 are still the majority of the problem," said Darren McKnight, lead author of a paper presented Friday at the International Astronautical Congress in Sydney. "Seventy-six percent of the objects in the top 50 were deposited last century, and 88 percent of the objects are rocket bodies. That's important to note, especially with some disturbing trends right now."

The 50 objects identified by McKnight and his coauthors are the ones most likely to drive the creation of more space junk in low-Earth orbit (LEO) through collisions with other debris fragments. The objects are whizzing around the Earth at nearly 5 miles per second, flying in a heavily trafficked part of LEO between 700 and 1,000 kilometers (435 to 621 miles) above the Earth.

An impact with even a modestly sized object at orbital velocity would create countless pieces of debris, potentially triggering a cascading series of additional collisions clogging LEO with more and more space junk, a scenario called the Kessler Syndrome.

McKnight, a senior technical fellow at the orbital intelligence company LeoLabs, spoke with Ars before the paper's release. In the paper, analysts considered how close objects are to other space traffic, their altitude, and their mass. Larger debris at higher altitudes pose a higher long-term risk because they could create more debris that would remain in orbit for centuries or longer.

https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/10/e ... rth-orbit/



A Japanese H-IIA upper stage imaged by Astroscale's ADRAS-J spacecraft last year. Credit: Astroscale

[caltrek]

Space Junk Likely Struck China's Shenzhou-20, Delaying Crew's Return
November 6, 2025

Introduction:

( AFP via Science Alert) A suspected strike by "tiny space debris" has delayed the return of the Chinese spaceship Shenzhou-20 and three astronauts, Beijing's space agency said on Wednesday.

"The Shenzhou-20 manned spacecraft is suspected of being hit by a tiny piece of space debris, and an impact analysis and risk assessment are under way," the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said in a statement.

The return of the spacecraft and the three astronauts, planned for Wednesday, has been postponed to ensure their safety, the statement said.

Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie had been expected to touch down at the Dongfeng landing site in northern Inner Mongolia.
The CMSA did not give a new date for their return.

Read more here: https://www.sciencealert.com/space-jun ... s-return

[caltrek]

size=150] The of Finding Cracks In Chinese Spacecraft’s Window Confirmed
[/size] by Victor Tangermann
November 14, 2025

Introduction:

(Futurism) Earlier this month, China was forced to delay the November 5 return of three astronauts from its Tiangong space station after concerns that their ride home — a Shenzhou-20 spacecraft parked at the orbital outpost since April — had sustained damage from an impact.

And as it turns out, their suspicions were correct. In a statement to state-run news outlet Xinhua, the China Manned Space Agency revealed that crews had found “tiny cracks” in the “return capsule’s viewport window, which are most probably caused by external impact from space debris.”
As a result, the “Shenzhou-20 spacecraft does not meet the requirements for the astronauts’ safe return and will remain in orbit to continue relevant experiments.”

Additional Extract:

Fortunately, the three astronauts have now made it back down to Earth in one piece.

The Shenzhou-21 spacecraft, which launched to the Tiangong space station on October 31 with the next three astronauts on board, allowed the existing team to make their safe return in China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region early Thursday morning.

Read more here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technol ... 27a&ei=75

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[weatheriscool]

ESA Publishes 'Zero Debris' Framework Amid Effort to Deorbit Dangerous Space Junk
It outlines an ambitious plan for the world to achieve a debris-neutral LEO by 2030.
By Jon Martindale January 19, 2026
https://www.extremetech.com/aerospace/e ... rous-space
Credit: ESA

Published Thursday, the European Space Agency's Zero Debris Technical Booklet outlines a framework for the world's space-faring nations to deorbit the most dangerous space junk, making low Earth orbit a safer place to transit. If followed, the ESA believes it would create a debris-neutral LEO, safeguarding access to the orbital zone and the space beyond it for decades to come.

The problem of orbital debris buildup is one that the entire space-faring world has been aware of for decades. Kessler Syndrome was proposed in 1978, and though there have been some efforts to deorbit a limited quantity of problematic space debris, the issue has only grown more acute in recent years. It was just last November that Chinese taikonauts were stranded on the Tiangong space station after debris damaged their return capsule.

The ESA's new technical document projects the problem will only worsen, too. With over 12,000 active satellites currently in orbit, the ESA projects that number will rise to over 40,000 by the 2030s. That makes space ever more crowded, and with every launch, there is the potential for additional debris.