Space Debris & Traffic Management News

SpaceWatch Global

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Riyadh space forum highlights Europe’s challenges on IRIS², direct-to-device links, spectrum and space security

Day-one discussions in Riyadh offered five lessons for Europe, drawing on perspectives from France’s ANFR, the UK’s Ofcom, Ookla, the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs and Foradori. The issues included the IRIS² satellite program, direct-to-device connectivity, spectrum negotiations ahead of the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference and space security.

SpaceWatch Global

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IAC 2026 spotlights orbital debris, lunar infrastructure and competing space networks

At the 77th International Astronautical Congress in Antalya, agencies and companies addressed low Earth orbit congestion and debris removal, cislunar interoperability, and lunar communications and transport. ESA also presented a study on developing a reusable two-stage heavy-lift launcher, while U.S. and Chinese space networks were in focus.

Space.com

Soviet satellite breaks apart in orbit again, renewing debris concerns

A Soviet satellite has broken apart in orbit for a second time, after a previous breakup in March 2004. The latest event adds to concerns about orbital debris, though the available reports provide no details on the amount of debris or potential effects on other spacecraft.

Ars Technica

High activity

SpaceX calls for better orbital coordination after Starlink near-misses

SpaceX says recent close approaches involving Starlink satellites produced predicted miss distances ranging from tens to hundreds of meters, prompting the company to call for better coordination in orbit. The warning underscores the operational risks posed by increasingly crowded orbital traffic.

Space Intel Report

Starlink says satellite operators’ maneuver-data nondisclosure is LEO’s biggest collision risk

SpaceX’s Starlink says the greatest safety risk to its constellation and other low Earth orbit operators is satellite owners’ refusal to share ephemeris data, including satellite positions and planned maneuvers. The company has updated its debris and collision-risk mitigation measures, according to the report.

Space.com

High activity

Lunar traffic raises risks to historic sites as controlled impacts become an end-of-mission option

As activity around the moon grows, operators are increasingly considering deliberate crashes of orbiters and rocket stages as a way to dispose of them at mission end. The approach could threaten historic lunar sites, adding preservation concerns to decisions about how missions are planned and retired.

SpaceWatch Global

Europe’s space-autonomy push meets US ambitions and a debate over orbital governance

European leaders are tying space capabilities to independent decision-making in security and defense, while debate over the proposed European Space Shield highlights disagreements over its name and control. In parallel, a new US policy emphasizes infrastructure and commercial activity, as space-governance advocates argue for moving beyond debris mitigation toward orbital sustainability.

SpaceWatch Global

High activity

LeoLabs detects new fragments near Soviet-era Meteor 2-7; cause remains unknown

LeoLabs has detected a new fragmentation event involving Meteor 2-7, a Soviet-era weather satellite. The cause of the breakup has not been determined, leaving the event’s origin unclear as new debris is identified in orbit.