Operations & Safety

Space operations have accelerated to unprecedented levels as commercial service providers ramp up their business plans. Ensuring space operations safety is paramount for the long-term viability and sustainability of space activities. Space situational awareness plays a critical role in maintaining physical safety by tracking and avoiding potential collisions between spacecraft, orbital debris, and other objects in Earth's orbit. Effective space traffic management systems are essential for collision avoidance during launch and on-orbit operations. Space weather monitoring is another crucial aspect of space safety, as solar flares and geomagnetic storms can disrupt communications and pose risks to both spacecraft and astronauts. Implementing robust space debris mitigation strategies, such as deorbiting defunct satellites and rocket bodies, helps preserve the space environment for future generations. Ultimately, adhering to space safety standards and space sustainability practices is vital for ensuring the responsible and long-term utilization of the space domain.

News & Analysis

Nov 10, 2026
2014 20 Twenties winner Ronak Dave, now a NASA flight director, led the first emergency Dragon departure from the ISS and oversees SpaceX crew missions.
Nov 10, 2026
AST SpaceMobile expects to use partner Firefly’s launch facility in Wallops, Virginia, for the new Blacklift rocket and augment that with its own launch sites in the U.S., CEO Abel Avellan says.
Nov 09, 2026
SpaceX has targeted Nov. 13 for Starship Flight 15, aiming to catch both Super Heavy and Starship at Starbase after an orbital Starlink deployment mission.
Nov 05, 2026
Two astronauts completed a 5 1/2-year effort on Nov. 5 to augment the International Space Station’s solar power generation during a 7-hr. spacewalk.
Nov 05, 2026
As Russia shadows a commercial satellite in orbit, a new U.S. government report warns that growing adversary cooperation is reshaping space security.
Nov 04, 2026
NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory re-entered Earth’s atmosphere early Nov. 4.
Nov 04, 2026
The Pentagon issues a $150 million conditional loan to space tracker LeoLabs to expand its global radar network and accelerate mobile Scout unit deployment.
Nov 04, 2026
NASA's lunar landing training program focuses on managing mental overload, sensory miscues and communications during risky vertical flight profiles.