Space debris as a research area focuses on the characterization, modeling, monitoring, and mitigation of artificial objects orbiting Earth that are no longer functional, including defunct satellites, spent rocket bodies, and fragmentation products. It encompasses orbital dynamics and environment modeling, collision probability assessment, re-entry prediction, material response during breakup, and the long-term evolution of the debris population. Research addresses sensor technologies and data processing for tracking, space surveillance and tracking (SST) architectures, mitigation and remediation strategies (e.g., post-mission disposal, active debris removal), and the development of technical standards and guidelines to preserve the sustainability and safety of space operations.
Mining ocean resources needed for electric cars and other devices is currently a hot issue of dispute. Final resolution of how or whether the seabed should be exploited is pending. Outcomes in this contentious area could ...
Space Exploration
Feb 3, 2025
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The space debris problem won't solve itself. We've been kicking the can down the road for years as we continue launching more rockets and payloads into space. In the last couple of years, organizations—especially the European ...
Space Exploration
Jan 23, 2025
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Hours after Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin nailed its first-ever orbital mission, SpaceX seized back the spotlight on Thursday as its latest test of Starship, its gargantuan next-generation megarocket, ended with the upper stage ...
Space Exploration
Jan 17, 2025
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Scientists have called for the designation of a new United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) with the aim to conserve and sustainably use Earth's orbit, and prevent the accumulation of space junk.
Space Exploration
Jan 9, 2025
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It is still not clear what exactly fell onto a Kenyan village last month, but such events are likely to become increasingly common given the amount of space debris drifting above the planet.
Space Exploration
Jan 8, 2025
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Sometimes, it's hard to remember that Earth is constantly being bombarded by literally tons of space debris daily. The larger bits form what we know as shooting stars, and most burn up in the atmosphere. Still, throughout ...
Planetary Sciences
Jan 2, 2025
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Kenyan officials said Wednesday they were investigating fragments of metal, believed to be from a rocket, that crashed into a village in the country's south.
Space Exploration
Jan 1, 2025
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Are human spacecraft, landers, rovers and other space-exploration debris little more than trash littering the surface of Mars, or the modern equivalent of Clovis points—treasured artifacts marking Homo sapiens' lust for new ...
Space Exploration
Dec 16, 2024
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Space Station trajectory data is now available to the public! This data, called an ephemeris, is generated by the ISS Trajectory Operations and Planning Officer (TOPO) flight controllers in the Mission Control Center at NASA's ...
Space Exploration
Dec 6, 2024
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The world's first wooden satellite has blasted off on a SpaceX rocket, its Japanese developers said Tuesday, part of a resupply mission to the International Space Station.
Space Exploration
Nov 5, 2024
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