Thousands of satellites are currently parked in low Earth orbit, with some that will eventually become defunct and fall back towards our planet’s atmosphere. As they reenter the atmosphere, satellites leave behind a trail of chemicals that eat away at the ozone layer. A new study warns against the growing number of…
Danielle Futselaar/SETI International
Fragments from a defunct Russian satellite have formed a large cloud of debris in low Earth orbit, posing a potential threat to the International Space Station (ISS) and with the crew having to take shelter while mission control checked for the chances of collision.
The International Space Station (ISS) was caught looking a little undignified in a new photo captured by an imaging satellite in orbit.
Satellite image (c) 2023 Maxar Technologies via Getty Images
An experimental satellite that launched in 1974 disappeared from ground-based sensors in the 1990s, only to be found again this week. Some defunct satellites or debris can often go missing for years, presenting hazards within an increasingly crowded Earth orbit. But, how exactly do objects disappear in space?
That was a really close one. Further analysis of a near-miss collision between two satellites in space revealed that they came even closer to one another than initially believed, raising more alarm over the growing danger of space debris.
SpaceX is working with the National Reconnaissance Office to build a classified system of swarming spy satellites, according to a report published by Reuters. And while the $1.8 billion contract was reportedly signed in 2021, news of the program’s ties to NRO just leaked on Saturday—a great reminder that it’s entirely…
MethaneSAT / Environmental Defense Fund
