Space Debris

Earth observation, deep space exploration big winners in new ESA budget

November 29, 2019

European Space Agency member states on Thursday committed nearly 12.5 billion euros ($13.8 billion) to fund ESA programs over the next three years, promising money to grow Europe’s fleet of satellites studying Earth’s changing climate, contribute to NASA-led lunar exploration efforts, and continue ESA’s participation in the International Space Station until 2030.

Smallsat companies teaming up on deorbit experiment

August 15, 2019

TriSept Corp. has announced plans for a commercial technology demonstration mission set for launch next year on a Rocket Lab Electron vehicle to test a deployable conductive tape, made by Tethers Unlimited, that could help small satellites more quickly fall out of orbit at the end of their missions.

Rocket Lab deploys experimental U.S. military smallsats on first night launch

May 5, 2019

On its first nighttime launch, Rocket Lab’s Electron booster climbed into orbit Sunday from New Zealand with a trio of small U.S. military payloads, demonstrating the privately-developed rocket’s ability to help meet the Air Force’s growing demand for smallsat launches.

Live coverage: Rocket Lab launches three U.S. military smallsats

May 4, 2019

Three experimental satellites sponsored by the U.S. military lifted off on an Electron rocket from Rocket Lab’s commercial spaceport in New Zealand on Sunday at 0600 GMT (2 a.m. EDT).

Intelsat declares drifting satellite total loss

April 22, 2019

Intelsat has declared the Intelsat 29e communications satellite a total loss after the Boeing-built spacecraft suffered a fuel leak and shed debris in geostationary orbit, three years into a planned 15-year mission.

Stricken with fuel leak, Intelsat 29e seen drifting in geostationary orbit

April 15, 2019

A Boeing-built Intelsat communications satellite launched three years ago is drifting in geostationary orbit more than 22,000 miles over the equator after suffering a fuel leak and releasing debris fragments last week, according to an analysis by space surveillance experts.

Earth observation, deep space exploration big winners in new ESA budget

Smallsat companies teaming up on deorbit experiment

Rocket Lab deploys experimental U.S. military smallsats on first night launch

Live coverage: Rocket Lab launches three U.S. military smallsats

Intelsat declares drifting satellite total loss

Stricken with fuel leak, Intelsat 29e seen drifting in geostationary orbit

Experimental British satellite tests harpoon in orbit

Space junk clean-up demonstrator deployed from space station

Chinese space lab burns up on re-entry over Pacific Ocean

Q&A with Guglielmo Aglietti, RemoveDebris principal investigator (members only)