The Growing Threat of Orbital Debris
Space has long stood as a frontier of human ambition, where satellites orbiting Earth enable weather forecasting, communications, GPS, and scientific discovery. Yet the very infrastructure that powers our connected world is increasingly threatened by a growing cloud of debris circling the planet. From defunct satellites to spent rocket stages and tiny fragments, orbital debris now poses a real risk to operational spacecraft and future missions.
Estimates from the European Space Agency put the number of fragments larger than one centimeter in orbit at well over a million. Even small particles, traveling at several kilometers per second, can impart catastrophic damage to a functioning satellite or spacecraft. The risk is not hypothetical: close encounters between debris and active satellites have already required maneuvering or mission planning to avoid potential collisions, a practice known as conjunction assessment.
Why Debris Is a Growing Challenge
The proliferation of satellites, especially with new constellations aiming to deliver global broadband and data services, intensifies the debris problem. Each new launch adds more potential sources of fragmentation: on-orbit breakups, anti-collision maneuvers, and the long-term accumulation of discarded hardware. The mathematics of space traffic management become more complex as the near-Earth environment becomes a crowded arena for both commercial and governmental actors.
Moreover, debris can spawn secondary collisions. A single impact can generate thousands of pieces that stay in orbit for years, even decades, increasing collision probabilities for other missions. This cascade effect—often described as the Kessler Syndrome—could jeopardize essential infrastructure, from weather satellites to navigation systems, and ultimately impede human exploration beyond Earth.
Voices from the Space Tech Community
To understand the near-term implications of orbital debris, Tatler spoke with leading voices in space technology and entrepreneurship. Rohit Jha, co-founder and CEO of Transcelestial in Singapore, emphasizes that debris management is not a luxury but a necessity for sustainable space operations. “We need proactive strategies to track, predict, and mitigate debris,” he notes, pointing to Advanced Optical Tracking and soft-kill or deorbit solutions as part of a broader toolkit for space safety.
In the Southeast Asian startup scene, Norilmi Amilia Ismail, founder and CEO of SpaceIn in Malaysia, highlights the responsibility of local players in contributing to a safer orbital environment. SpaceIn’s approach blends smallsat capabilities with open data to improve monitoring, collision avoidance, and end-of-life planning for small satellites. Ismail argues that every launch must come with a clear path to decommissioning or reentry to minimize long-term debris buildup.
From the Philippines, analogue astronaut Kristine Jane Atienza offers a practical perspective on the human-side of space safety. While not a mission astronaut, Atienza’s insights into training, testing, and mission simulations underscore the importance of preparedness in dealing with space debris scenarios. Her work reminds us that the space domain is a shared commons requiring careful governance, clear protocols, and robust collaboration between nations and industries.
Solutions on the Horizon
There is no single fix for orbital debris, but a multi-pronged strategy is emerging across the industry. Key elements include:
- Active Debris Removal (ADR): Research into laser, robotic, and drag augmentation techniques that can remove larger objects from orbit without creating more debris.
- End-of-life Maneuvers: Designing satellites with reliable deorbit capabilities or passive debris mitigation devices to ensure quicker reentry after mission ends.
- Tracking and Prediction: Expanding sensor networks and data-sharing to improve debris catalogs, conjunction prediction accuracy, and collision avoidance.
- International Norms and Regulation: Strengthening norms of responsible behavior in space and harmonizing standards for debris mitigation across countries and operators.
Entrepreneurs like Jha and Ismail argue that a combination of policy, technology, and cooperative data sharing will be essential. The goal is a safer, more sustainable orbital environment that can support future missions—whether a new constellation, a scientific probe, or a crewed expedition beyond low Earth orbit.
A Shared Responsibility for a Shared Frontier
The space junk crisis is not a distant warning; it is a practical challenge that affects everyone who relies on satellite services. As space becomes a more crowded domain, governments, industry players, and researchers must collaborate to reduce debris, improve tracking, and plan for a sustainable future in orbit. The next generation of space technologies hinges on our ability to keep the orbital commons safe for exploration, communication, and discovery.
