Tracking dangerous methane gas, the Methanestat satellite seems to have lost power after 1.5 years into 5-year mission

A satellite designed to track one of the planet’s most potent greenhouse gases – methane – has gone dark, ending a pioneering mission led not by governments or corporations, but by a nonprofit. MethaneSAT, developed by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and launched in March 2024, lost contact with Earth on June 20, 2025. Engineers have confirmed that the satellite has lost power and is likely unrecoverable.

“The advanced spectrometers developed specifically for MethaneSAT met or exceeded all expectations throughout the mission. In combination with the mission algorithms and software, we showed that the highly sensitive instrument could see total methane emissions, even at low levels, over wide areas,  including both large sources (super emitters) and the smaller ones that account for a large share of total methane emissions, which were not visible from space until MethaneSAT,” the group said in a statement.

The mission was intended to last at least five years and represented a bold step in climate monitoring. Funded in part by the Bezos Earth Fund and operated in partnership with Google and the government of New Zealand, MethaneSAT was among the first environmental satellites operated by a civil society group rather than a national space agency. Its primary aim was to locate and quantify methane emissions—many of which originate from oil and gas infrastructure—using advanced sensors and cloud-based mapping tools powered by Google Earth Engine.

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, estimated to be more than 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. While methane emissions are responsible for roughly 30% of current global warming, many leaks remain undetected or underreported.

MethaneSAT was designed to fill this gap, offering near real-time, independent data on where emissions originate and how large they are. During its 15 months of operation, MethaneSAT successfully mapped emissions from major oil and gas basins, including the Permian Basin in the United States and areas in Central Asia.

Its data—collected at higher resolution and over larger areas than many existing satellites—was made available to governments, scientists, and the public.EDF stated that while the satellite has ceased functioning, the data already collected will continue to be analyzed and published. In a public update, EDF noted that the engineering team is still investigating the cause of the failure, but all efforts to reestablish communication have so far failed.

“We learned this morning that the satellite has lost power, and that it is likely not recoverable,” the organization said in a statement.Despite the setback, EDF emphasized that the project had already achieved many of its scientific goals and had demonstrated the feasibility of nonprofit-led space missions. MethaneSAT’s development marked a shift in how environmental data is collected and shared. Unlike many state-run satellites whose data is restricted or delayed, MethaneSAT was created to provide rapid, open-access emissions data to encourage faster policy responses and regulatory action.

EDF has not confirmed whether it will pursue a replacement mission, but it has signaled that the broader goals of MethaneSAT will continue. Additional monitoring via aircraft and other technologies is expected to supplement the loss.

While the satellite’s operational life was shorter than hoped, its influence on climate science and accountability has already been significant. But it does point out potential problems when non-commercial NGO projects come to light. The power of investment and accountability may be a stronger driver for success. What do you think?

::Methanestat

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New agreement aims to shield radio astronomy from satellite interference, but the night sky faces growing threats.

The Bigger Picture: Space Junk and a Dimming Night Sky

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MIT aerospace engineers have discovered that rising greenhouse gas emissions are altering the near-Earth space environment in ways that will gradually reduce the number of satellites that can safely operate in this region.

In a study published today in Nature Sustainability, the researchers reveal that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are causing the upper atmosphere to shrink. The thermosphere, a layer where the International Space Station and most satellites orbit, is of particular concern. When the thermosphere contracts, its density decreases, which reduces atmospheric drag—the force that typically pulls old satellites and space debris down to lower altitudes where they burn up upon re-entry.

With less drag, satellites and debris will remain in orbit longer, creating an overcrowded environment in critical regions and heightening the risk of collisions.

The team ran simulations to assess how carbon emissions impact the upper atmosphere and orbital dynamics, estimating the “satellite carrying capacity” of low Earth orbit. Their findings predict that by 2100, the capacity of popular orbital regions could decline by 50-66 percent due to the effects of greenhouse gases.

“Our behavior with greenhouse gases over the past century is affecting how we will operate satellites over the next century,” says Richard Linares, an associate professor in MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AeroAstro).

Related: all about space junk

“The upper atmosphere is in a fragile state as climate change disrupts the status quo,” adds lead author William Parker, a graduate student in AeroAstro. “At the same time, satellite launches have surged, particularly for broadband internet from space. If we don’t manage this activity and reduce emissions, space could become too crowded, leading to more collisions and debris.”

The study also includes co-author Matthew Brown from the University of Birmingham.

The thermosphere naturally contracts and expands in response to the sun’s 11-year activity cycle. During periods of low solar activity, the Earth’s outer atmosphere cools and contracts before expanding again during solar maximum.

In the 1990s, scientists wondered how greenhouse gases might affect the thermosphere. Early models suggested that while these gases trap heat in the lower atmosphere, they radiate heat at higher altitudes, cooling the thermosphere. This cooling, they predicted, would cause the thermosphere to shrink, reducing atmospheric density at high altitudes.

In recent years, scientists have measured changes in drag on satellites, providing evidence that the thermosphere is contracting in response to factors beyond the sun’s natural cycle.

“The sky is literally falling, but at a rate that spans decades,” says Parker. “We can see this by how drag on satellites is changing.”

The MIT team explored how these changes might affect the number of satellites that can safely operate in Earth’s orbit. There are currently over 10,000 satellites in low Earth orbit—an area extending up to 1,200 miles (2,000 kilometers) above the Earth’s surface. These satellites provide vital services like internet, communications, navigation, weather forecasting, and banking. With the recent explosion in satellite launches, operators now perform regular collision-avoidance maneuvers to maintain safety. When collisions occur, debris can linger in orbit for decades or longer, heightening the risk of further collisions.

“More satellites have been launched in the last five years than in the preceding 60 years combined,” Parker says. “One of the key things we’re trying to understand is whether the path we’re on today is sustainable.”

In their study, the researchers simulated different greenhouse gas emissions scenarios over the next century to evaluate their impacts on atmospheric density and drag. For each altitude range, they modeled orbital dynamics and the risk of satellite collisions based on the number of objects present. This approach helped identify the “carrying capacity” of low Earth orbit, a term typically used in ecology to describe how many individuals an ecosystem can support.

“We’re translating the concept of carrying capacity to this space sustainability problem to understand how many satellites low Earth orbit can sustain,” Parker explains.

The team compared several emissions scenarios: one in which greenhouse gas concentrations remain at 2000 levels, and others based on future projections from the IPCC’s Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs). They found that increasing emissions would significantly reduce the capacity of low Earth orbit.

By the end of the century, the team predicts that the number of satellites safely accommodated in altitudes between 200 and 1,000 kilometers could decline by 50-66 percent compared to a scenario where emissions remain at 2000 levels. If satellite capacity is exceeded in any region, the researchers anticipate a “runaway instability,” where a cascade of collisions would generate so much debris that satellites could no longer operate there.

Although these predictions extend to 2100, some regions are already nearing capacity, especially those occupied by recent “megaconstellations” like SpaceX’s Starlink, which consists of thousands of small internet satellites.

“The megaconstellation is a new trend, and we’re showing that because of climate change, we’re going to have a reduced capacity in orbit,” Linares says. “In local regions, we’re already approaching this capacity.”

“We rely on the atmosphere to clean up our debris,” Parker adds. “If the atmosphere is changing, the debris environment will change as well. Our study shows that the long-term outlook for orbital debris depends critically on curbing greenhouse gas emissions.”

This research is supported, in part, by the U.S. National Science Foundation, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.K. Natural Environment Research Council.”

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CubeSats have emerged as a university project, and, originally, this tech was used for educational missions – primarily because of its affordability. Today, with the rapid private space sector development, these compact, easily scalable mini-satellites are actively used for a wide range of commercial purposes and are steadily securing their positions in missions from international space agencies.

Thanks to advances in private-made CubeSat components, such as these https://dragonflyaerospace.com/components/, CubeSats are becoming increasingly more advanced and versatile. At the same time, they retain their uniform design, measuring 10x10x10 cm per unit (1U) while increasing scalability. Modern CubeSats can measure up to 27U, but that is still very compact compared to previous-generation space tech!

Below, we will explain the main CubeSat structures and mechanisms that make these satellites work, explaining the importance of CubeSat components in modern satellite missions. But first, we need to understand what today’s space missions are usually about, so let’s start with that. 

What are the objectives of the CubeSat mission?   

Right now, every launched CubeSat focuses on its own mission, but the range of applications has evolved far beyond education. Currently, the most common CubeSat missions include:

• Earth Observation: EO is an extremely vast industry segment – in fact, most spacecraft in our planet’s orbit are EO tech, and many of those satellites are CubeSat. Depending on the components they carry, actual applications may include environment monitoring of pollution levels in waters or air; urban planning; tracking illegal mining, fishing, or poaching activities, etc.
• Cosmic research: advances in CubeSat components, especially in imagers they carry, have made it possible to apply them in deep space exploration missions. For example, NASA’s HaloSat recently surveyed the Milky Way’s circumgalactic medium.
• Technology demonstration: most new space tech is tested and demonstrated with CubeSats because, if something goes wrong, the cost of losing a CubeSat is lesser than it could have been with a larger satellite. But that does not mean CubeSat technology is unreliable. In fact, these satellites successfully coped with most demonstration missions – including testing for NASA’s upcoming Mars landing.
• Internet of Things: most IoT devices remotely controlled from our smartphones are backed up by CubeSat constellations, so every time you turn up home heating while still at work, you can thank advances in CubeSat components.

Clearly, such a range of applications requires a series of advanced equipment to carry out designated missions. So, let’s take a better look at the CubeSat component’s functions and variations.

What are the main components of a CubeSat?  

Even though the actual CubeSat components list may vary slightly depending on mission goals, some components are an absolute must-have for a CubeSat to operate:

• Structure is a component that holds all other pieces together; it is normally made of highly durable materials to withstand harsh space environments;
• Power component supplies electricity to all other CubeSat components – usually through built-in batteries or by generating power via solar panels;
• Communication component is a series of antennae and receivers that transmit data back to Earth and receive new commands from ground stations;
• Computer component is exactly what you may think – a powerful processor that oversees all CubeSat operations;
• Attitude Determination and Control System, or ADCS component, is a complex mix of sensors that measure CubeSat position in space and make sure it is pointing in the right direction, i.e., to take images of designated areas of interest – on Earth or in deep space.
• Payload may be one of the most important CubeSat components because it is the equipment a CubeSat needs to carry out its mission goals. Obviously, that’s where the differences begin because satellites are made for different missions, so the equipment necessary to fulfil them will also be different!

Besides, there have been major advances in CubeSat propulsion systems  – normally, this component was reserved for pricier space tech. In a nutshell, propulsion is a series of thrusters and engines allowing satellites to adjust their position in orbit or even move to entirely new orbital destinations when initial mission objectives are complete, and it’s time to move on to a new stage.

Today, many CubeSats can do the same, but those aren’t the only impressive advances in CubeSat components and applications. So, let’s see what space agencies have in mind.

Space agency missions: what is the importance of CubeSat? 

Even though most CubeSats, along with their components, are manufactured by private companies, NASA and other space agencies understand the amazing potential of this tech.  For example, mini-satellites play a huge part in NASA’s upcoming lunar mission, Artemis. Its first phase, which began in 2022, launched ten CubeSats that provided a wealth of information on our Moon, including its ice layer composition.

ESA also holds CubeSat components and their potential in high regard. Its upcoming Hera mission should study the Didymos asteroid system and check how NASA’s DART mission went – that’s when the US agency crashed its impactor tech into the asteroid to see if we could deflect asteroids from their course to avoid future collisions with our planet. So, heads up for HERA because it finally looks like our space tech is on its way to helping the planet – and advances in CubeSat components will prove useful in this process.

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A space elevator, also called a space bridge, star ladder, or orbital lift, is a proposed type of planet-to-space transportation system, often depicted in science fiction. The main component of a space elevator would be a cable anchored to the surface and extending into space.

Futuristic Japan is planning one for the year 2050. Obayashi Corporation aims to connect Earth to space with an 80,000 mile cable made from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) allowing 30 passengers to be launched into space at about 150mph, getting them to a space station in about a week.

The discovery of CNTs by a Japanese engineer in 1991 has pushed this vision forward, with potential launches of the construction project to begin as early as next year. Japan is not the first to come up with the idea of a space elevator.

In 1895, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky proposed to build a space elevator that could reach from Earth into space; it never got off the ground, but in 1957 another Russian – Yuri Artsutanov – came up with a more plausible idea. It wasn’t built either, but he had a chance to judge a team of Israeli students who were tackling the concept anew.

In Japan, the the space elevator construction would be multi-stage process with materials transported via rocket to low Earth orbit where a spaceship will use electric propulsion to ascend to geostationary Earth orbit.

One of the significant advantages of the space elevator, says the Obayashi Corporation is its cost-effectiveness and sustainability. Traditional rocket launches are expensive and polluting. Each launch could cost just a few thousand dollars, making space access more affordable and frequent. This project aligns with Japan’s goals for carbon neutrality by 2050, providing a greener alternative to current space travel technologies​.

Maybe they can figure out a way to get space junk out of orbit at the same time.

Obayashi Corporation is one of five major Japanese construction companies along with Shimizu Corporation, Takenaka Corporation, Kajima Corporation, and Taisei Corporation. It is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and is one of the Nikkei 225 corporations. Its headquarters are in Minato, Tokyo.

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Astronomers are worried about the launch of the latest satellite to Earth’s orbit, the Bluewalker 3. The new satellite which unfolded in Low Earth Orbit in November, measures about 700 square feet in size, about the same size as a studio apartment in New York City. The satellite is meant to be used for cellular communication, but the amount of light pollution it emits makes it harder for astronomers to see the night sky. At its peak BlueWalker 3, which looks like a Tetris block flying across the sky, is as bright as two of brightest stars we can see with our eyes.

Bluewalker’s bright light is about the same stars Procyon and Achernar, two of the brightest stars in the night sky. And this satellite is just the first of dozens of constellations of satellites planned for Low Earth Orbit.

“After BlueWalker 3 unfolded its 64m² array it is visible in both dark sky and urban skies, though in urban settings, this will be limited to when Bluewalker 3 passes overhead,” said Jeremy Tregloan-Reed, a co-author in the new study from the Universidad de Atacama in Chile.

But the appearance of the satellite is a growing concern as satellite groups like Elon Musk’s Starlink eject thousands of light-polluting satellites to our skies, all of which become space junk at the end of their days. Astronomers are outlining the problem of Bluewalker 3 as a wake up call as more and more companies like Starlink race to cover the world in high speed internet – even if Starlink can help Iranian dissidents.

Other companies, such as Amazon and OneWeb, have similar ambitions to launch satellites in space, and many countries are developing their own private communications constellations. Astronomers are very worried.

Watch the video of Bluewalker 3 below captured by astromers

A ground telescope tracks the BlueWalker 3 satellite in orbit on April 3, 2023. Dimmer Starlink satellites are also visible. Credit Marco Langbroek/Delft Technical University

“Large constellations of bright artificial satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) pose significant challenges to ground-based astronomy,” the study’s authors write in the journal Nature.

Tregloan-Reed explains, among other problems, a large reflective brightness interferes with space telescopes like Hubble. When a satellite crosses the detector of a telescope, it often leaves a streak of light that can be difficult to remove.

Observations by the Hubble telescope have been affected by Starlink streaks because the telescope was in a LEO, sitting below that of the Starlink constellation.

While the researchers acknowledge that efforts are being made by the aerospace industry, policymakers, astronomers and others to mitigate the impact of such satellites, “the trend towards the launch of increasingly larger and brighter satellites continues to grow,” they write.

It’s sort of like asking the petroleum industry to regulate the use of fossil fuels.

BlueWalker 3, built by AST SpaceMobile, is a predecessor to a planned constellation of satellites nicknamed BlueBirds. AST SpaceMobile plans to make cellular broadband connections available to people who are currently without –– a solution that could help alleviate poverty or save lives in remote locations.

AST SpaceMobile BlueWalker 3’s array is so large, they say, so they can beam strong cellular coverage directly to phones on Earth. The satellite is comprised of small antennas which connect to existing smartphones. This is different than Starlink which requires a ground antenna or dish.

AST SpaceMobile has agreements and understandings with mobile network operators globally that have over 1.8 billion existing subscribers, including a mutual exclusivity with Vodafone in 24 countries. Interconnecting with AST SpaceMobile’s planned network including Vodafone Group, Rakuten Mobile, AT&T, Bell Canada, MTN Group, Orange, Telefonica, Etisalat, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, Millicom, Smartfren, Telecom Argentina, Telstra, Africell, Liberty Latin America and others, the ability to offer extended cellular broadband coverage to their customers who live, work and travel in areas with poor or non-existent cell coverage, with the goal of eliminating dead zones with cellular broadband from space.

“We want to close coverage gaps in our markets, particularly in territories where terrain makes it extremely challenging to reach with a traditional ground-based network. Our partnership with AST SpaceMobile – connecting satellite directly to conventional mobile devices – will help in our efforts to close the digital divide,” said Luke Ibbetson, Head of Group R&D, Vodafone and an AST SpaceMobile director.

AST SpaceMobile issued a statement that the company is working on anti-reflective materials for the next generation of satellites and they they will avoid broadcasting in the US National Radio Quiet Zone. But the frequency sound waves they use are close to those used by astronomers today making interference an issue with ongoing and future studies.

The latest research on Bluewalker 3 was done by amateur and professional astronomers from Chile, the US, Mexico, New Zealand,Netherlands and Morocco.

Indigenous groups and the astronomy community are now invested in protecting the night skies: “We shouldn’t have progress at any cost,” Tregloan-Reed said. “It’s like building a brand-new development over a historical site. You can’t just do that. You have to protect these things.”

While astronomers don’t own the night sky they don’t want to see it taken by the highest bidder in the name of progress: “What we’d like to do is share the night sky and get the public to understand that this is a potential issue,” he said.

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Astroscale, the market leader in securing long-term orbital sustainability, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the intellectual property and other assets and to hire certain members of the staff of Effective Space Solutions R&D Ltd. (“ESS”), an Israeli satellite life-extension and servicing company.

These moves make Astroscale the only company solely dedicated to on-orbit services across low-earth (“LEO”) and geostationary (“GEO”) orbits and bring the company closer to realizing its vision of orbital sustainability for future generations. The closing of the transaction is contingent upon receipt of certain regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

“Imagine if rather than spending hundreds of millions of dollars to replace a GEO satellite, you could affordably extend the life of that satellite in orbit — that is the opportunity we welcome today with our outstanding new colleagues and capabilities,” said Ron Lopez, President and Managing Director of Astroscale U.S. “Astroscale is known for blazing trails in on-orbit debris-removal services in LEO, and now Astroscale U.S. will do the same for satellite life extension in GEO. We are eager to start serving commercial operators, the U.S. government and partner governments around the world, all as a proud part of the U.S. space community.”

Astroscale U.S. has created a new subsidiary, Astroscale Israel Ltd., which upon closing of the transaction will be staffed by former ESS employees and headquartered in Tel Aviv. Astroscale U.S. will focus on meeting clients’ satellite servicing needs, including those of the U.S. government. Astroscale Israel will serve as the company’s satellite servicing research and payload development group for life extension of GEO satellites, which provide critical communications, navigation and national security services.

“Our remarkable engineering team has been pioneering the on-orbit servicing market for the past several years,” said Arie Halsband, founder and CEO of ESS, who upon the closing of the transaction will serve as managing director of Astroscale Israel.

“We share with Astroscale a similar vision and strategy for how our technology and platform could become a logistical solution for commercial and government GEO satellites, and beyond. Astroscale’s acquisition of ESS technology is a testimony to the viability of our work, and we are thrilled to join the Astroscale team.”

ESS has developed some of the most promising and novel on-orbit servicing technologies in the market and has deep experience designing complex GEO missions and programs. Its Space Drone program, which will evolve into an Astroscale U.S. life-extension platform, has been widely acknowledged by leading satellite operators — including prospective customers Astroscale U.S. is in discussions with — as a cost effective, innovative and compatible solution for satellite servicing.

“The world now relies on space-based services, and the COVID-19 pandemic only intensifies that reliance,” said Nobu Okada, Founder & CEO of Astroscale. “Our purpose at Astroscale is to enable space sustainability, and satellite life extension represents a massive leap in our ability to fulfill that purpose. We welcome the Astroscale Israel team and look forward to realizing our vision with them.”

Independent valuations estimate that life extension and other on-orbit satellite services will generate more than $4 billion in revenues by 2028. GEO satellites often cost well over $200 million to deploy, underscoring the value of servicing, repairing or upgrading such satellites rather than just replacing them.

In preparation for supporting this nascent market, Astroscale Holdings recently announced a Series E funding round to support life extension missions. I-NET CORP., a leading Japanese data center provider, became the first investor in this new round, which is expected to remain open through the end of 2020. Astroscale has raised a total of US$140 million in its previous four funding rounds, and this new raise will enhance the company’s already strong portfolio of on-orbit services for space debris mitigation.

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The ever increasing amount of space junk makes it dangerous to pass through Earth’s orbit. Space junk can intercept and hit satellites throwing them out of orbit. But wayward satellites still able to perform may get a tow back to position thanks to a new Israeli startup.

Need a lift?

The robotic space tow truck developed by Effective Space Solutions (an Israeli company) wants to create a tugboat or DeOrbiter microsatellite. The company expects to “launch” within two years. Fast forward to 2020 and they have!

Update December, 2020: Israeli startup bought by Japan’s Astroscale

Astroscale working for “long-term orbital sustainability”, was today awarded Grand Prix during the UNESCO Netexplo Innovation Forum 2020, out of 10 breakthrough digital innovations which were selected for their disruptive potential.

Netexplo, an independent observatory that studies the impact of digital tech on society and business, has been a UNESCO partner since 2011. This year’s UNESCO Netexplo Innovation Forum showcased 10 breakthrough digital innovations with the potential of profound and lasting impact on digital society.

Astroscale won Grand Prix for its innovative satellite technologies that will reduce orbital debris and support the long-term, sustainable use of space.

“We are truly honored to be named Netexplo Grand Prix 2020, and I share this win with everyone on our team working hard on the technology, policy and business case challenges of this complex, global issue,” said Nobu Okada, Founder & CEO of Astroscale.

“I am encouraged to see what’s happening in Earth’s orbits as having a profound and positive impact on society. Right now COVID-19 and countless environmental catastrophes are wreaking havoc all over the globe, and we’re committed to stopping another potential disaster from unfolding over our heads.”

The rise of large commercial satellite constellations in low Earth orbit (LEO) means that the threat of a potential collision or break-up in key orbits will escalate.

This increasing amounts of debris endangers current and future satellite missions and puts society’s reliance on data from space at risk. Astroscale will launch its End-of-Life Services mission later this year as part of its critical end-of-life services, which will safely remove defunct satellites from orbit and maintain the viability of LEO.

The aim of inventors is to help it reposition satellites if they’ve gone off course – or push them off course where they can effectively “die” in a satellite graveyard several hundred miles above their usual orbit of about 25,000 miles above our heads.

When we first wrote this article there were two stranded Galileo Project satellites, and the company says that their solution could bring them back on course and live out their days until the satellites run out of energy.

Effective Space Solutions (well now Astroscale) was founded in 2012 by veterans of the Israeli space industry and the company They raised  a $1.5 million seed fund from Singulariteam and the Israel Space Agency.

Arie Halsband (goes to LinkedIn) is the company’s founder.

Astroscale US Inc., announced this summer that it plans to acquire intellectual property and other assets and to hire certain members of the staff of Israeli satellite life-extension and servicing company Effective Space Solutions R&D Ltd. (ESS).

This is the first acquisition of an Israeli space technology company by a foreign company, but also the end of Effective Space founder Arie Halsband’s dream of producing micro-satellites in Israel. Halsband founded the company in 2012 with the vision of the miniature satellites, or space drones, attaching on to older, existing satellites to propel them in space and thus extend their missions even after their fuel runs out.

Astroscale U.S is a subsidiary of Japan-based Astroscale Holdings Inc., and operates in the same field as Effective Space Solutions, focused on solutions for LEO, low-earth satellites (200 to 400 miles above the Earth’s surface) where surveillance and observations satellites orbit, while Effective Space’s solutions are meant for GEO, geostationary communication satellites (25,000 miles above the Earth’s surface).

Astroscale is scheduled to launch a satellite into orbit next March, 2021 on a test mission to remove space debris, according to the company’s officials. The satellite will be carried into space by a Russian Soyuz rocket lifting off from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur Cosmodrome.

The Japanese are with Russia and Israel and the ESA with the Swiss, who plans to launch ClearSpace in 2025 as a commercial service to clean up space junk. They plan on rescuing Vespa, says Spacenews:  The mission, dubbed ClearSpace-1, is slated to launch in 2025 to capture and deorbit a 100-kilogram Vespa payload adapter an Arianespace Vega left in orbit after deploying ESA’s Proba-V remote-sensing satellite.

According to the European Space Agency’s Space Debris Office, around 8,950 satellites have been launched into space. Out of that number, 5,000 satellites are still orbiting the earth, while 1,950 are operational satellites.

This invention reminds me of that 80s show What Will They Think of Next. Or maybe I need a new job title. Imagine being head of the Space Debris Office? Or, Space Janitor?

::Astroscale

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Thirty-four years ago the charred remains of a spaceship fell to earth. The spaceship was named Skylab and it was the last orbiting remnant of NASA’s grandiose Apollo era when Saturn V moon rockets with twenty-five times the cargo capacity of the space shuttle lifted humans 240,000 miles to the moon, one thousand times higher than the orbit of the International Space Station (ISS).

Skylab was a recycled spaceship. It was made from an empty Saturn V fuel tank decorated with solar panels and furniture. One solar panel and a heat-shield fell off during launch, forcing astronauts to jury-rig a parasol based on $12.95 fishing poles and a parachute canopy.

Skylab was massive, at launch it was already nearly as big as the fully completed International Space Station. No one wanted this house-sized spaceship to crash. It was supposed to be boosted into a higher orbit by NASA’s newly invented space shuttle. But when the space shuttle was delayed, Skylab’s orbit gradually decayed until it crashed in 1979.

Russia entered the litterbug space race the previous year when its COSMOS 954 nuclear-powered spy satellite fell from the sky and spread highly radioactive uranium across hundreds of thousands of square miles of western Canada.

Space Junk Cost and Liability
Under international agreement, space-faring countries are liable for the damage caused by their junk and debris so Canada sent the bill for the $6 billion radioactive clean-up to the Soviets who eventually paid a fraction of that amount. NASA never paid the $500 littering fine imposed by the remote Australian shire where Skylab landed.

China enters the space junk race
China was a latecomer to the space junk race but it made up for lost time when it deliberately crashed a kill satellite into its Fengyun weather satellite in 2007. This collision created an estimated 150,000 fragments of hypersonic shrapnel which expanded to fill thousands of cubic miles. The satellite was in a particularly high orbit where its fragments will threaten space travel for centuries. Shards are already known to have passed near the International Space Station and one piece destroyed a Russian satellite in January 2013. When Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield photographed what looked like a bullet hole in one of the International Space Station’s solar panels he said it was caused by a small stone from space. But it’s far more likely to have been caused by man-made litter from earth.

Peeing in our water bowl
The pattern of human pollution is all too predictable. Our middens become mountains. Earth’s landscapes, lakes, rivers and oceans become our dumps. Like a mad dog we pee in our own bowl and only notice a problem when civilization’s belly begins to ache from the stench. Humans eventually polluted earth’s seven great continents, its atmosphere and its oceans. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that we’re beginning to fill space with trash.

Space is big but…
Space is big, but the amount of space in useful earth orbits is relatively small. Astronauts typically orbit at altitudes between 150 and 300 miles above sea level, no more than the distance between Alexandria, Egypt and Paphos, Cyprus. Geosynchronous communications and weather satellites must all orbit the earth at the same altitude, 22236 miles above sea level. So unless we’re very careful, space will eventually be so full that each collision with orbiting debris will create more orbiting debris.

The resulting chain-reaction is known as Kessler’s syndrome and is a plot complication in the newly released film Gravity. The resulting ring of debris may be beautiful but it could make space travel too risky and set back the advances in space technology since 1959. Imagine a world without satellite TV, GPS navigation, satellite weather forecasts and the Internet.

What can be done to remove space junk?
There are strategies for reducing the dangers of space junk but the the first order of business is tracking it. America’s NORAD is one of the agencies tasked with this space traffic control.

People at NORAD keep track of thousands of orbiting objects including everything from rocket fuel tanks to an astronaut’s lost glove and toothbrush. The ESA, NASA and other space agencies have collaborated on strategies for space junk mitigation. Russia’s COSMOS 954 used one of these strategies. It was designed to eject its nuclear reactor core into a higher “graveyard” orbit, but that strategy failed. The Mir space station outlived the Soviet empire that launched it but a controlled de-orbit in the spring of 2001 burned up as much as possible and dropped the remainder into a remote part of the South Pacific.

We don’t yet have a solution for removing smaller items but engineers have suggested everything from sailing space robots to aerogels and lasers. It’s clearly an environmental problem we will have to deal with very soon.

Update 2020: orbital sustainability happening thanks to Astroscale.

Public domain images of Skylab, orbiting objects, and space debris in Saudi Arabia via NASA.

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It is expected to fall today: a dead six-ton satellite will hit earth today, NASA predicts. Where it will fall is anyone’s guess. Iran, Israel, India, Illinois?

Space junk is becoming a serious environmental concern, especially when it starts falling back to planet earth. NASA has issued an advisory that an old satellite, the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, 20 years old, will be the biggest piece of NASA space junk to fall from the sky in 32 years. Green Prophet readers everywhere: put on your helmets, even if NASA believes it will fall into water. We are not taking any chances.

According to NASA, the space junk is likely to miss North America entirely (lucky them), and when it hits our earth’s atmosphere some 1,200 pounds or 544 kilograms are expected to break into 26 pieces, with the biggest chunk weighing 300 pounds. NASA insists the space junk, is not a risk for humans. Well, there is only a one in 3,200 chance a person will get hit, says NASA. In an official statement Thursday morning: “Re-entry is expected sometime during the afternoon of September 23, Eastern Daylight Time. The satellite will not be passing over North America during that time period. It is still too early to predict the time and location of re-entry with any more certainty, but predictions will become more refined in the next 24 to 36 hours.

Junk collectors be on the watch: the space junk to survive will include a titanium fuel tank, beryllium housing and stainless steel batteries and wheel rims, while some orbital debris scientists say will fall somewhere between 57 north latitude and 57 south latitude, covering most of the populated world and when it drops, spanning some 500 miles (800 kilometers).

NASA says that in its 50 years of space exploration no one has been hurt by space junk. This time – a one in 3,200 chance. That’s enough for me to wear a helmet and stay indoors.

“No consideration ever was given to shooting it down,” NASA spokeswoman Beth Dickey said.

Its Skylab fell down in western Australia in 1979, but in reality orbital debris of the same size hits earth about once a year. Some 22,000 pieces of space junk are up there. With the latest chunks falling if one does hit near you, don’t touch it, they say.

Read more on space junk and junk seen from space:
Nanotechnology cleans up space junk
Hamad graffiti visible from space

Above image of bread helmet man seen in Yemen this summer. Via the Guardian.

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