Bezos’ Firm to Bundle Satellites; Starship Launch Imminent
▼ Summary
– The federal government shutdown has had minimal impact on space operations, with military missions and NASA’s Artemis II launch preparations continuing normally.
– Commercial space companies remain largely unaffected by political issues, highlighting their growing role in national space activities.
– Federal employees and troops face missing paychecks due to the shutdown, emphasizing its human and economic consequences.
– Most dangerous space debris in low-Earth orbit consists of abandoned rocket bodies from before 2000, with 76% deposited last century.
– China is currently the largest contributor to new long-term orbital debris, responsible for 21 of 26 rocket bodies abandoned since January 2024.
Despite a federal government shutdown now stretching into its second week, the American space sector continues operating with impressive momentum. Military space missions proceed without interruption, and at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, NASA teams diligently prepare for the Artemis II mission, scheduled to orbit the Moon early next year. The International Space Station maintains its full crew of seven astronauts, and NASA’s deep space exploration fleet remains fully active. Much of the nation’s space activity now falls to commercial companies, which are largely insulated from political gridlock. However, the shutdown’s human impact is significant, as troops and federal employees face the prospect of missing their first paychecks unless lawmakers quickly resolve the impasse.
We encourage readers to submit their own stories and insights. To ensure you receive every edition of our report, please subscribe using the form provided below. Each issue delivers comprehensive updates covering small, medium, and heavy-lift launch vehicles, plus a preview of the next three scheduled launches.
A newly compiled list of the 50 most hazardous pieces of space debris reveals a troubling reality: the majority are relics from the last century, primarily spent rocket bodies abandoned after completing their missions. Darren McKnight, lead author of a study presented at the International Astronautical Congress in Sydney, emphasized that “objects left in orbit before the year 2000 still constitute the bulk of the problem.” His research shows that 76 percent of these high-risk items were deposited last century, with rocket bodies making up 88 percent of the total. This historical legacy is especially concerning given recent trends in orbital littering.
Current practices exacerbate the issue, particularly China’s operations in low-Earth orbit. McKnight reported that since January 1, 2024, a total of 26 rocket bodies have been abandoned in orbits where they will remain for at least 25 years. China accounts for 21 of these recently discarded rockets. Overall, Russia and the former Soviet Union lead the list with 34 objects in the top 50, followed by China with 10, the United States with three, Europe with two, and Japan with one. Russia’s SL-16 and SL-8 rockets are the most problematic, together occupying 30 positions on the list. A collision with even a small object at orbital speeds would generate countless fragments, potentially initiating a cascade of further impacts known as the Kessler Syndrome, which could render low-Earth orbit increasingly congested and hazardous.
(Source: Ars Technica)
