Collision avoidance

Earth’s orbit will be monitored by a watchful set of robotic eyes, the first commercial constellation of satellites with the ability to keep track of objects in space to avoid collisions between spacecraft.Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewCanadian startup NorthStar is getting ready to launch the first four of its Space Situational Awareness (SSA) satellites equipped with advanced optical devices for detecting space objects and star trackers for accurate positioning. The…

It’s getting awfully crowded in low Earth orbit with more than 4,000 Starlink satellites currently in orbit and thousands more that will soon make their way up there. SpaceX’s internet satellites often stand in the way of orbiting spacecraft, defunct satellites, or space junk, racking up 50,000 potentially dangerous approaches over the past four years.Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their ViewA new report revealed that Starlink satelliteshad to make 25,000 collision avoidance maneuvers…

Orbit is increasingly becoming a busy highway, with more companies launching hoards of satellites above our skies. With all those spacecraft cruising in Earth orbit, a group of industry representatives is suggesting new guidelines for “road safety”in space.Another Vortex Hits Texas | Extreme EarthThe Space Safety Coalition (SSC) updated its set of guidelines for space operations to include “rules of the road,” a list of best practices to avoid collisions between spacecraft. SSC updated its “Best Practices for the…

NASA astronaut Nicole Mann looking through the window of the ISS.Image: NASAEarlier this week, the International Space Station was forced to adjust its orbit to avoid an encroaching commercial satellite. The object is likely one of many Earth-observing satellites that are falling into and aligning with the space station’s orbital path, according to experts. On Monday, the Progress 83 resupply ship that’s docked to the space station fired its engines for just over six minutes, slightly raising the orbit of the ISS in order…