Space Debris

Solar coronal loops, such as those observed by NASA's Transition Region And Coronal Explorer (TRACE)... satellite here in 2005, follow the path of the magnetic field on the Sun. When these loops 'break' in just the right way, they can emit coronal mass ejections, which have the potential to impact…

Home News Spaceflight An artist's concept of the orbital debris field around Earth, based on real data from the NASA Orbital Debris Program Office. (Image: © NASA Goddard Space Flight Center) The ever-growing number of satellites and orbital debris in space prompted calls for change at a House hearing, although…

NASA definitely wants to go to Mars. But does it need the moon to get there? Marina Koren February 18, 2020 Artur Debat / Jackal Pan / Getty / The AtlanticLast week, NASA put out a call for applications for its next class of astronauts. In recent years, when the…

Home News Spaceflight An artist's depiction of satellites orbiting Earth. (Image: © NASA) One of the most pressing problems when it comes to keeping our planet safe from space threats is data, which sounds so simple to address. It's not. That's why the U.S. Senate's Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation…

Japanese orbital debris removal technology startup Astroscale is going to be working with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on the agency’s first mission to remove some of the junk that currently exists on orbit. They’ve been selected by the age y…

Japanese orbital debris removal technology startup Astroscale is going to be working with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on the agency’s first mission to remove some of the junk that currently exists on orbit. They’ve been selected by the agency to participate in its Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration…

Home News Tech A conceptual image illustrating space debris orbiting Earth. (Image: © johan63/iStock/Getty Images Plus) Two defunct satellites nearly collided on Jan. 29, and their close call (the objects missed each other by an estimated 154 feet, or 47 meters) renewed attention for a growing problem far above Earth:…

Home News Spaceflight Another internet-satellite megaconstellation is starting to take shape.A Soyuz rocket carrying 34 of OneWeb's broadband satellites lifted off today (Feb. 6) from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, rising off the pad at 4:42 p.m. EST (2142 GMT; 2:42 a.m. on Feb. 7 local time). The Soyuz — which is operated…

Thousands of pieces of space junk are speeding around Earth, but current tracking tools aren't yet able to pinpoint where most of the junk is at any given time, putting other satellites in danger — and fueling a growing industry to track debris and satellites.Why it matters: Trackers warn collisions…

If you ever find yourself sitting back in wonder as super-bright artificial meteors flash across the sky, you will be able to thank the credit crunch – at least in part. After the crisis of 2008 that Lena Okajima decided to leave her job at a financial company for a…