Universe Today
• Evan Gough
Thousands of inactive or non-communicating satellites orbit Earth in low Earth orbit, creating a challenge for operators that rely on spacecraft to signal their presence. Researchers are developing CORTEX, a system designed to guide a repair satellite to autonomously dock with these “zombie” spacecraft.
Space Debris & Traffic Management
Latest source-backed stories
Thousands of inactive or non-communicating satellites orbit Earth in low Earth orbit, creating a challenge for operators that rely on spacecraft to signal their presence. Researchers are developing CORTEX, a system designed to guide a repair satellite to autonomously dock with these “zombie” spacecraft.
Amorim Cork Solutions is contributing its P50 cork-based thermal protection material to the European Space Agency’s DRACO mission. The mission is designed to capture rare in-flight data on how satellites break apart during atmospheric reentry, providing direct observations of a key phase of satellite disposal.
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Goldman Sachs and Apollo Global Management are in talks with investors to sell portions of a roughly $40 billion financing deal tied to SpaceX’s chip needs. The firms are reportedly offering slices of up to $500 million ahead of formal syndication.
The Pentagon has committed $150 million in financing to support LeoLabs’ radar expansion. The announcement identifies a substantial defense-backed investment in the company’s space radar infrastructure, though the available report provides no details on the expansion’s scope, locations or schedule.
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Hundreds of satellites reach end of life each year, and while most are deorbited, some fail abruptly. Airbus’ DETUMBLER is a passive spin-stabilization solution aimed at the tumbling-satellite problem, which adds to the challenge of managing objects left in orbit.
Military and civil satellites are observing fireballs as they blaze through Earth's atmosphere, giving scientists data to improve planetary-defense capabilities and understand the impacts of space debris. The observations connect routine atmospheric events with two growing areas of concern: detecting hazardous space rocks and assessing objects that fall back to Earth.
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Vyoma has put Flamingo-1 into routine operation, adding an orbital optical telescope to Europe’s space surveillance capabilities. The spacecraft provides a space-based means of observing objects in orbit, marking a milestone for Germany’s space domain awareness efforts.
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