Tracking 32892 objects as of 3-Jan-2026
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AFTER HALF A DECADE, THE RUSSIAN SPACE STATION SEGMENT STOPPED LEAKING AFTER HALF A DECADE, THE RUSSIAN SPACE STATION SEGMENT STOPPED LEAKING - A small section of the International Space Station that has experienced persistent leaks for years appears to have stopped venting atmosphere into space. The leaks were caused by microscopic structural cracks inside the small PrK module on the Russian segment of the space station, which lies between a Progress spacecraft airlock and the Zvezda module. The problem has been a long-running worry for Russian and US operators of the station, especially after the rate of leakage doubled in 2024. This prompted NASA officials to label the leak as a “high likelihood” and “high consequence” risk.   More
(Source: Ars Technica - Jan 3)


SPACEX OPENS 2026 WITH LAUNCH OF COSMO-SKYMED EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITE FOR ITALY SPACEX OPENS 2026 WITH LAUNCH OF COSMO-SKYMED EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITE FOR ITALY - SpaceX rang in the new year with a Falcon 9 rocket launch Friday evening from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Aboard was a 1,700-kg (3,748 lb) Earth observation satellite with dual civilian and military use for the government of Italy. The Cosmo-SkyMed Second Generation Flight Model 3 (CSG-FM3) satellite is the third out of four such satellites set to deploy into low Earth orbit.   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Jan 3)


STARLINK INITIATES ORBITAL LOWERING OF 4,400 SATELLITES TO MITIGATE DEBRIS RISKS STARLINK INITIATES ORBITAL LOWERING OF 4,400 SATELLITES TO MITIGATE DEBRIS RISKS - In a statement released via X, Michael Nicolls, Vice President of Starlink Engineering, announced a significant reconfiguration of the Starlink constellation, confirming plans to lower approximately 4,400 satellites from 550 km to 480 km throughout 2026. The maneuver, which affects nearly half of the operator’s active fleet, is designed to enhance space safety regimes as solar activity begins to wane.    More
(Source: SatNews - Jan 2)


LAUNCH PAD ISSUE DELAYS AGAIN FALCON 9 LAUNCH OF ITALIAN EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITE LAUNCH PAD ISSUE DELAYS AGAIN FALCON 9 LAUNCH OF ITALIAN EARTH OBSERVATION SATELLITE - SpaceX delayed its final planned Falcon 9 flight of the year for a second night running due to a launch pad issue at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. “To allow more time to perform ground system checkouts, standing down from today’s launch of the COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation mission,” SpaceX said in a social media post. “A new target launch date will be shared once confirmed.”   More
(Source: SpaceFlight Now - Jan 1)


RUSSIA QUIETLY CHANGED ITS SPACE STATION PLANS. HERE’S WHAT THAT MEANS RUSSIA QUIETLY CHANGED ITS SPACE STATION PLANS. HERE’S WHAT THAT MEANS - The International Space Station (ISS) is due to close down by 2030, and Russia, one of its main partners, is designing its own replacement orbital laboratory. After a decade of planning to place its future space station into a high-latitude polar orbit for Arctic observation, Russian authorities have changed their minds. Instead the Russians have decided to stick with the familiar ISS orbit—the same 51.6-degree inclination used by the Soviet Mir space station nearly 40 years ago.   More
(Source: Scientific American - Dec 31)


BURN OR BURY? STUDY BACKS SATELLITE ‘NON-DEMISE’ DESIGN TO LIMIT OZONE DAMAGE BURN OR BURY? STUDY BACKS SATELLITE ‘NON-DEMISE’ DESIGN TO LIMIT OZONE DAMAGE - New findings indicate that the current "Design for Demise" protocol for satellites is creating a secondary environmental crisis in the upper atmosphere. Year after year, dying satellites perform a final, fiery dive toward Earth. But each satellite leaves behind an invisible chemical trail that is quietly hampering the ozone layer.   More
(Source: Yahoo - Dec 31)


CONTROVERSIAL SATELLITES LAUNCHING IN 2026 WILL REFLECT LIGHT TO EARTH CONTROVERSIAL SATELLITES LAUNCHING IN 2026 WILL REFLECT LIGHT TO EARTH - A controversial scheme will begin to reflect sunlight to Earth with satellites next year, so that dark places can be temporarily lit for visibility or energy production. But astronomers are sceptical about the plan’s efficacy and possible scientific consequences. US company Reflect Orbital, which aims to provide “sunlight on demand”, intends to launch its first satellite as soon as early 2026, beaming sunlight to 10 locations as part of an initial “World Tour”.   More
(Source: New Scientist - Dec 31)


RETHINKING HOW WE END A SATELLITE'S MISSION RETHINKING HOW WE END A SATELLITE'S MISSION - At the end of their lives, most satellites fall to their death. Many of the smaller ones, including most of those going up as part of the "mega-constellations" currently under construction, are intended to burn up in the atmosphere. This Design for Demise (D4D) principle has unintended consequences, according to a paper published in Acta Astronautica by Antoinette Ott and Christophe Bonnal, both of whom work for MaiaSpace, a company designing reusable launch vehicles for the small satellite market.   More
(Source: Phys.org - Dec 30)


RUSSIA SENDS 3 IRANIAN SATELLITES INTO ORBIT, REPORT SAYS RUSSIA SENDS 3 IRANIAN SATELLITES INTO ORBIT, REPORT SAYS - Russia on Sunday sent three Iranian communications satellites into orbit, the second such launch since July, Iranian state television reported. The report said that a Russian rocket sent the satellites to circle the Earth on a 500-kilometer (310-mile) orbit from the Vostochny launchpad in eastern Russia. The three satellites are dubbed Paya, Kowsar and Zafar-2.   More
(Source: NPR - Dec 29)


CHINA LAUNCHES NEW FENGYUN SATELLITE TO ENHANCE DISASTER WEATHER FORECASTING AND MONITORING CHINA LAUNCHES NEW FENGYUN SATELLITE TO ENHANCE DISASTER WEATHER FORECASTING AND MONITORING - China launched a new meteorological satellite from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Saturday. A Long March-3B rocket, carrying the Fengyun-4 03 satellite, blasted off at 12:07 a.m., and has sent the satellite into the preset orbit.   More
(Source: CGTN - Dec 28)

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