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

Jun 25, 2026
NASA and Boeing are continuing work toward another uncrewed flight test of the CST-100 Starliner with a cargo run to the International Space Station within the next year.
Jun 24, 2026
B612 Foundation awards 2026 Schweickart Prize to Edinburgh students for proposal expanding planetary defense to cislunar infrastructure.
Jun 23, 2026
Houston-based Axiom Space has changed its legal domicile from Delaware to Texas to align its legal home with its operational headquarters.
Jun 22, 2026
The call came before sunrise in Mahia, New Zealand. Less than 17 hr. later, Rocket Lab launched a company-built satellite to space with its Electron rocket.
Jun 19, 2026
Veteran astronaut Bob Hines' selection as the crew backup could be an indication of just how committed the agency is to acknowledging and addressing Artemis III's challenges.
Jun 19, 2026
Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket carrying a spacecraft intended to boost NASA’s ailing Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to a higher orbit reached Mojave, California, on June 18, as it heads to the Pacific for launch that's targeted for later this month.
Jun 18, 2026
The European Space Agency is looking to assert its relevance in lunar exploration, with an eye on pulling forward some its planned Argonaut lander missions.
Jun 18, 2026
ESA is assessing the feasibility of hiking the launch cadence for the Ariane 6 rocket to as many as 20 flights per year to address an anticipated shortage of European launch capacity in a few years.