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Shenzhou-20 lands after unplanned 270‑day mission following suspected debris strike; crew honoured

China's Shenzhou-20 capsule landed at the Dongfeng site on Jan. 19, ending an unplanned 270‑day mission after roughly nine months docked to the Tiangong space station. The return vehicle survived a suspected orbital‑debris strike, and the three crew received aerospace achievement medals and 'Heroic Astronaut' honours on Jan. 21.

2026-01-21T08:22:45.362551-08:00

SpaceNews.com

Free warnings and better catalogs: practical fixes for space traffic safety

2026-01-20T06:19:19.851081-08:00

SpaceNews.com

Aule Space raises $2M pre-seed to build grapple-based 'jetpacks' for GEO satellite life extension

2026-01-15T00:43:34.502716-08:00

Satellite Evolution

ESA awards Astroscale UK €399k Phase A to design world‑first in‑orbit satellite refurbishment and upgrade service (IRUS)

2026-01-13T07:35:50.835245-08:00

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Shenzhou-20 lands after unplanned 270‑day mission following suspected debris strike; crew honoured China's Shenzhou-20 capsule landed at the Dongfeng site on Jan. 19, ending an unplanned 270‑day mission after roughly nine months docked to the Tiangong space station. The return vehicle survived a suspected orbital‑debris strike, and the three crew received aerospace achievement medals and 'Heroic Astronaut' honours on Jan. 21.

2026-01-21T08:22:45.362551-08:00

Shenzhou-20 lands after unplanned 270‑day mission following suspected debris strike; crew honoured

SpaceNews.com

Free warnings and better catalogs: practical fixes for space traffic safety Providing free, timely conjunction warnings and improving public space‑object catalogs can materially reduce collision risk in crowded orbits; the piece argues these immediate, cost‑effective steps would boost situational awareness for operators, simplify avoidance decisions, and lower the likelihood of damaging encounters.

2026-01-20T06:19:19.851081-08:00

Free warnings and better catalogs: practical fixes for space traffic safety

SpaceNews.com

Atomic-oxygen-resistant material could extend VLEO satellite lifetimes Researchers have developed an atomic-oxygen‑resistant material that significantly reduces surface erosion in very-low Earth orbit (VLEO). The coating could extend operational lifetimes for satellites operating in VLEO, enabling more persistent low-altitude missions and reducing AO-driven degradation.

2026-01-16T07:26:05.330871-08:00

Atomic-oxygen-resistant material could extend VLEO satellite lifetimes

SpaceNews.com

ESA launches Zero Debris Charter, kicking off a countdown to clean orbits ESA has launched a Zero Debris Charter, initiating a coordinated effort to clean low Earth orbit and reduce collision risk. The charter establishes a timeline and commitments for member states, industry and international partners to accelerate debris mitigation and removal activities.

2026-01-16T06:11:52.712571-08:00

ESA launches Zero Debris Charter, kicking off a countdown to clean orbits

SpaceNews.com

Managing the Orbital Economy as Low Earth Orbit Becomes More Congested Low Earth orbit is rapidly shifting from a frontier to an operating marketplace: rising constellation deployments, commercial stations and on-orbit services are increasing traffic and collision risk. Managing an orbital economy will require integrated traffic-management, shared surveillance data, robust debris mitigation and clear commercial-regulatory rules to sustain operations.

2026-01-15T08:10:57.456203-08:00

Managing the Orbital Economy as Low Earth Orbit Becomes More Congested

SpaceNews.com

Atomic‑6 to Fly Space‑Armor Demonstrator on Portal Rideshare in October Atomic‑6 will fly a 'space‑armor' demonstrator on a Portal rideshare this October. CEO Trevor Smith said the company expects the satellite to be struck by orbital debris, and the mission will collect damage data to evaluate the armor's on‑orbit survivability.

2026-01-15T06:14:21.372167-08:00

Atomic‑6 to Fly Space‑Armor Demonstrator on Portal Rideshare in October

SpaceWatch Global

Vyoma launches Flamingo‑1, its first space‑domain awareness satellite to surveil orbital debris Vyoma has launched Flamingo‑1, its first space‑domain awareness satellite, to bolster the company's in‑orbit surveillance of debris objects. Flamingo‑1 begins operations immediately to expand Vyoma's space‑domain awareness capabilities, enabling more frequent observations and improved characterization of debris objects in orbit.

2026-01-15T03:47:55.362960-08:00

Vyoma launches Flamingo‑1, its first space‑domain awareness satellite to surveil orbital debris

SpaceNews.com

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Aule Space raises $2M pre-seed to build grapple-based 'jetpacks' for GEO satellite life extension Indian startup Aule Space raised $2 million in a pre-seed round led by pi Ventures to develop low-cost, autonomous 'jetpack' spacecraft that grapple and dock with geostationary satellites to provide up to six years of additional propulsion and station-keeping capability.

2026-01-15T00:43:34.502716-08:00

Aule Space raises $2M pre-seed to build grapple-based 'jetpacks' for GEO satellite life extension

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Space Debris & Traffic Management News

Shenzhou-20 lands after unplanned 270‑day mission following suspected debris strike; crew honoured

Free warnings and better catalogs: practical fixes for space traffic safety

Aule Space raises $2M pre-seed to build grapple-based 'jetpacks' for GEO satellite life extension

ESA awards Astroscale UK €399k Phase A to design world‑first in‑orbit satellite refurbishment and upgrade service (IRUS)

News Timeline