Growing commercial interest surrounds space debris removal and in-orbit satellite servicing as orbital congestion poses increasing collision risks for active spacecraft and astronauts.
Private companies and startups like Astroscale and ClearSpace are developing technology to clean up orbital debris and service spacecraft, aiming to turn space junk removal into a profitable market.
Over a metric tonne of space debris re-enters Earth's atmosphere weekly, a report states, with incidents like a rocket part falling in Kenya highlighting growing risks. Increased launches and defunct satellites raise concerns about ground impact and orbital collisions, prompting calls for stronger regulations.
Physicist Laura Grego discusses the impending changes in space usage, from tens of thousands of new satellites altering sky views to the unaddressed military and nuclear vulnerabilities in space, highlighting the need for public awareness and governance.
Mysterious basketball-sized metal balls, identified as likely pressure vessels from a space launch vehicle, washed ashore on Forrest Beach, Queensland. The incident sparked local curiosity, a media frenzy, and a creative response from a local shop owner.
Six large metallic spheres, identified as 'space balls' or rocket pressure vessels, washed ashore on Forrest Beach, Queensland, Australia. The discovery prompted an evacuation and investigation, with the Australian Space Agency confirming they are likely debris from a foreign rocket.
Six spherical objects found on a Queensland beach are likely pressure vessels from a foreign space launch vehicle that recently re-entered the atmosphere. The Australian Space Agency is working with international authorities to confirm the origin.
A new class action lawsuit alleges an aged care firm charged residents for unused services. In Australia, concerns rise over cleanup costs for abandoned mines. Globally, tensions simmer in the Middle East, and the US marks its 250th anniversary. Australia triumphs in the Women's T20 World Cup.
Aged care residents launch class action over unused services. Queenslanders may fund abandoned mine cleanups. Spectacle Island is for sale as part of a Defence property selloff. Australia defeats England in the Women's T20 World Cup final.
Authorities in Queensland, Australia, are investigating six large, solid silver spheres found on Forrest Beach. Suspected to be space debris, the objects have prompted an exclusion zone and concerns about hazardous substances.
Six mysterious objects, suspected to be space debris possibly containing hazardous chemicals, have washed ashore on beaches in north Queensland, Australia. Experts believe they could be 'space balls' from rocket launches, though a marine origin is also possible.
New research from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) warns that the planned launch of 1.7 million satellites could have devastating consequences for astronomy, making the night sky up to four times brighter and obscuring celestial views. The study calls for a limit of 100,000 satellites to preserve astronomical observation.
The Shenzhou 23 spacecraft, set for launch, has undergone adaptive improvements to its porthole space debris protection, enhancing its ability to withstand debris impacts, according to a press conference at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
A spent SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage, identified as 2025-010D, will crash into the Moon on August 5, 2026, near the Einstein crater, highlighting space debris concerns and offering a scientific opportunity to study lunar soil impact effects.
King Charles III visited Bermuda on the final day of his royal tour, launching Project Nova at the UK Space Agency observatory on Cooper's Island - a network of telescopes across five sites to track space debris. The King opened a new coast guard station in St David's before departing from LF Wade International Airport, concluding a trip that followed his four-day state visit to the US.
