All articles tagged with #orbital congestion
The piece surveys very low Earth orbits (VLEO) as a self-cleaning approach to orbital congestion, citing ESA's GOCE and JAXA's SLATS as missions that operated at very low altitudes and required continuous propulsion, and discusses future ABEP concepts (e.g., Redwire’s SabreSat) that could allow 90 km–level operation indefinitely if power and propulsion hurdles are overcome.
A rare image captured by Google Earth shows a Starlink satellite crossing in front of an Earth observation satellite over Texas, highlighting the increasing congestion in low Earth orbit and raising concerns about satellite interference and space environment management.
The article discusses the increasing frequency of space debris re-entering Earth's atmosphere, the lack of effective international regulation and coordination for space traffic, and the growing risks posed by congested orbits, especially with the rise of commercial satellite constellations like SpaceX's Starlink, highlighting the urgent need for updated treaties and management frameworks.