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 04, 2026
NASA's lunar landing training program focuses on managing mental overload, sensory miscues and communications during risky vertical flight profiles.
Nov 02, 2026
NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift observatory is likely to reenter the Earth’s atmosphere at 3:30 a.m. EST on Nov. 4, the agency says.
Oct 30, 2026
NASA will wrap up its second Crew Health and Performance Analog life on Mars simulation on the grounds of Johnson Space Center on Oct. 31.
Oct 30, 2026
NASA prepares to practice integrated flight operations with Blue Origin and SpaceX.
Oct 30, 2026
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency plans to attempt the first roundtrip mission to Mars.
Oct 29, 2026
Spacewalking astronauts closed in on the final installation of the International Space Station’s eight solar-power-augmenting Roll-Out Solar Arrays on Oct. 29 with a 7-hr. excursion.
Oct 29, 2026
Russia is holding talks with the U.S. government that could lead to the extension of International Space Station operations for two years.
Oct 28, 2026
Rendezvous Robotics plans to demo seven of its self-assembling tiles autonomously joining to form a single spacecraft, and then separating and assembling again into a different configuration.