Space Debris & Traffic Management News

Reuters • Juby Babu

Starlink satellite 35956 fragments and tumbles at 418 km after Dec. 17 anomaly, ejecting trackable debris

On December 17, 2025, SpaceX reported that Starlink satellite 35956 experienced an in-orbit anomaly at roughly 418 km, lost communications and began tumbling. The failure produced a small number of trackable, low-relative-velocity debris fragments; SpaceX says the spacecraft is expected to re-enter and burn up.

2025-12-18T09:55:24.907042-08:00

Washington Post

U.S. and Chinese satellites are 'dogfighting' up to 22,000 miles as orbital militarization escalates

2025-12-18T02:14:37.333263-08:00

Space.com

Chinese-launched spacecraft came within ~200 m of Starlink‑6079 at 560 km, SpaceX says

2025-12-12T21:14:12.257374-08:00

Space.com

Megaconstellations could permanently contaminate space‑telescope observations by late 2030s, scientists warn

2025-12-12T03:06:45.877546-08:00

Space Debris & Traffic Management News Timeline

SpaceNews.com

Charging for Space Situational Awareness: what problem does it solve? This analysis examines the case for monetising Space Situational Awareness (SSA): proponents argue charging users fills funding gaps and enables higher‑fidelity, near‑real‑time tracking, while critics warn it risks fragmenting access to data that underpins collision avoidance and broader orbital safety. The piece weighs those trade‑offs.

2025-12-18T15:22:44.017587-08:00

Charging for Space Situational Awareness: what problem does it solve?

Reuters

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Starlink satellite 35956 fragments and tumbles at 418 km after Dec. 17 anomaly, ejecting trackable debris On December 17, 2025, SpaceX reported that Starlink satellite 35956 experienced an in-orbit anomaly at roughly 418 km, lost communications and began tumbling. The failure produced a small number of trackable, low-relative-velocity debris fragments; SpaceX says the spacecraft is expected to re-enter and burn up.

2025-12-18T09:55:24.907042-08:00

Starlink satellite 35956 fragments and tumbles at 418 km after Dec. 17 anomaly, ejecting trackable debris

Scientific American

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CRASH Clock: LEO collision-avoidance windows compressed to days (2.8–5.5) as constellations surge The 'CRASH Clock' quantifies expected time to a collision in low Earth orbit if avoidance maneuvers stopped. As of June 2025 researchers place that window at roughly 2.8–5.5 days — down from 164 days in January 2018 — driven by mega-constellation deployments and emerging 'space data centers'.

2025-12-18T06:14:12.772671-08:00

CRASH Clock: LEO collision-avoidance windows compressed to days (2.8–5.5) as constellations surge

Washington Post

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U.S. and Chinese satellites are 'dogfighting' up to 22,000 miles as orbital militarization escalates U.S. and Chinese spacecraft are increasingly conducting close‑proximity maneuvers — sometimes operating as far out as 22,000 miles from Earth — behavior described as 'dogfighting' as the militarization of orbit accelerates. This trend raises collision and mission‑risk concerns and signals a new phase of contested on‑orbit operations.

2025-12-18T02:14:37.333263-08:00

U.S. and Chinese satellites are 'dogfighting' up to 22,000 miles as orbital militarization escalates

SpaceWatch Global

Spaceflight’s Atmospheric Footprint: Early Science and Major Unknowns Spaceflight’s returns—reentries, stage drops and spent hardware—deposit burned and vaporised particulates and metals into the upper atmosphere. Early science maps emissions and chemical impacts but large uncertainties remain about cumulative deposition, climate effects and whether industry growth demands regulatory controls.

2025-12-18T01:30:42.924585-08:00

Spaceflight’s Atmospheric Footprint: Early Science and Major Unknowns

spaceanddefense.io

Astroscale awarded U.S. patent for fuel‑efficient capture of tumbling satellites Astroscale has been granted a U.S. patent for a fuel‑efficient method to capture and service tumbling satellites, advancing techniques to rendezvous with, stabilize and attach to non‑cooperative objects in orbit. The invention targets a longstanding technical barrier for on‑orbit servicing and space sustainability.

2025-12-17T18:24:15.521379-08:00

Astroscale awarded U.S. patent for fuel‑efficient capture of tumbling satellites

Space Intel Report

Astroscale Reports Triple Revenue and Narrowed Operating Loss, Reaffirms Confidence in Commercial Satellite Life-Extension Astroscale said revenue tripled year‑over‑year and its operating loss narrowed, reaffirming confidence in commercial satellite life‑extension and debris‑removal services. The La Plata, Maryland firm said the performance reflects improving commercial traction for on‑orbit servicing and strengthens its case to investors and customers.

2025-12-15T11:24:55.809827-08:00

Astroscale Reports Triple Revenue and Narrowed Operating Loss, Reaffirms Confidence in Commercial Satellite Life-Extension

Payload

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Starfish Space and Impulse Space complete Remora autonomous rendezvous using single‑camera guidance Starfish Space and Impulse Space have completed Remora, an in‑orbit autonomous rendezvous and proximity‑operations (RPO) demonstration using a single camera as the primary sensor. The test paired Impulse's spacecraft with Starfish's navigation software to perform automated close approaches without additional guidance hardware.

2025-12-15T06:06:19.029329-08:00

Starfish Space and Impulse Space complete Remora autonomous rendezvous using single‑camera guidance

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