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

Feb 10, 2026
European startup Hypersonica says it has successfully conducted its first hypersonic missile flight test as the company emerges from stealth.
Feb 09, 2026
Firefly Aerospace is aiming to return its Alpha rocket into service Feb. 18 following a ground test accident nearly five months ago.
Feb 09, 2026
NASA is standing down from a planned Feb. 11 launch of the SpaceX Crew-12 mission to the ISS due to expected weather conditions, the agency said Feb. 9.
Feb 06, 2026
NASA learned a lot about managing hydrogen leaks ahead of Artemis I, but another tanking test is needed before the next Space Launch System flies.
Feb 03, 2026
The upper stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket failed to execute a planned engine burn to deorbit, the company said late Feb. 2.
Feb 03, 2026
NASA will skip its February launch opportunity to send four astronauts on a flight test around the Moon to review data from a launchpad fueling test that ended early due to a hydrogen leak.
Feb 02, 2026
Airbus plans to finally deploy the Superbird-9 broadcast and broadband satellite for Japan’s SKY Perfect JSAT next year after multiple delays, Schoellhorn says.
Feb 01, 2026
Countdown clocks at NASA's Kennedy Space Center began ticking down toward a simulated launch of the Artemis II Moon mission.