Space.com
• Tereza Pultarova
A proposed refundable deposit, paid before launch, would give satellite operators a financial incentive to remove spacecraft from orbit at the end of their missions. Researchers argue the scheme could curb growing space debris and reduce the risk of reaching an orbital tipping point.
Space Debris & Traffic Management
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A proposed refundable deposit, paid before launch, would give satellite operators a financial incentive to remove spacecraft from orbit at the end of their missions. Researchers argue the scheme could curb growing space debris and reduce the risk of reaching an orbital tipping point.
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Evidence points to debris found in a Minnesota cornfield coming from a Chinese Zhuque-2E rocket that deorbited over the state. The recovery connects a reentering launch vehicle to material reaching the ground, though the available reporting provides no further details on the debris or its impact.
Northrop Grumman is emphasizing its longstanding role in military space surveillance as the U.S. Space Force opens the in-orbit surveillance market to newer companies. The shift introduces competition in a mission area where established defense contractors bring experience, while new entrants seek a share of emerging government demand.
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The UK Space Agency has opened a public competition to name its planned 2029 active debris-removal mission. The spacecraft is intended to capture two defunct satellites in orbit, making the mission a practical demonstration of efforts to remove debris from Earth orbit.
China’s representative to the ITU Space Sustainability Forum proposed equipping every low Earth orbit satellite with radio-frequency identification beacons, likening the approach to aviation’s ADS-B and maritime AIS. He argued that universal beacons would be the most effective measure against orbital crowding and collision risk, even more so than sharing ephemeris data among satellite operators.
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Day three of the Riyadh gathering covered satellite identification, cybersecurity threats in space, live interference in geostationary orbit and progress at the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. The recap also assessed the three days’ implications ahead of the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference.
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The UK Space Agency selected the British unit of Luxembourg-headquartered ClearSpace as prime contractor for a mission to remove two defunct small satellites from orbit. Announced Oct. 15, the 2029 mission advances a government-backed effort to demonstrate active debris removal.
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