Russian RESURS-P1 satellite breaks in orbit, releasing over 180 pieces of trackable debris and forcing ISS astronauts to take shelter

Russian RESURS-P1 satellite breaks in orbit, releasing over 180 pieces of trackable debris and forcing ISS astronauts to take shelter

Russian decommissioned satellite Resurs-P1 broke up in orbit on June 26, 2024, releasing roughly 100 pieces of trackable debris. The number rose to 180 by the end of June 27 and is expected to keep rising, according to Leo Labs. Following the breakup, NASA instructed the 9 astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to take shelter in their respective spacecraft as a standard precautionary measure.

Piece of largest object ever jettisoned from ISS crashes into Florida home, U.S.

Piece of largest object ever jettisoned from ISS crashes into Florida home, U.S.

In March 2021, NASA ground controllers deployed the International Space Station’s (ISS) robotic arm to discard a cargo pallet (EP-9) containing obsolete nickel hydride batteries, following upgrades to lithium-ion units. This operation set a record for the heaviest item jettisoned from the ISS. While the entire pallet was expected to disintegrate before reaching Earth’s surface, a fragment of this hardware survived atmospheric re-entry and struck a residence in Naples, Florida, in March 2024.

Largest object ever jettisoned from ISS to make uncontrolled re-entry this week

Largest object ever jettisoned from ISS to make uncontrolled re-entry this week

The International Space Station’s (ISS) largest-ever discarded object, a hefty equipment pallet weighing 2.9 tons, is anticipated to make an uncontrolled descent back to Earth between March 8 and 9, 2024. Launched into space for a critical ISS power system upgrade, this pallet, loaded with nine old station batteries, will not fully disintegrate upon reentry, with predictions indicating about half a ton of debris could survive the descent and impact the planet’s surface.

AI revolutionizes space debris detection, surpassing conventional methods

AI revolutionizes space debris detection, surpassing conventional methods

As we extend our reach into the cosmos, the clutter of space debris in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) becomes a pressing concern, threatening the safety and sustainability of space operations. To help with this growing problem, a recently published study in the journal IET Radar, Sonar & Navigation, introduced a promising solution leveraging the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the detection of these small but hazardous objects.

Pieces of Chinese Long March 5B rocket expected to hit Earth’s surface this weekend

Pieces of Chinese Long March 5B rocket expected to hit Earth’s surface this weekend

A massive booster from Chinese Long March 5B rocket, launched on July 24, 2022, is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere over the weekend, with some of its pieces surviving the descent and hitting the surface. The rocket delivered the Wentian experiment module to China’s Tiangong Space Station.

Space debris entry recorded over Los Angeles, California

Space debris entry recorded over Los Angeles, California

A piece of space junk, possibly parts of Delta II rocket launched back in 1989, entered Earth's atmosphere at around 06:23 UTC on January 30, 2020, and disintegrated over Los Angeles, California. The event lasted up to 20 seconds. It was recorded from Los…

Amazing videos show Chinese rocket disintegrating over Guam and Saipan

Amazing videos show Chinese rocket disintegrating over Guam and Saipan

A Long March 5 rocket carrying a test satellite payload, launched by China at 12:45 UTC on December 27, 2019, produced an amazing night sky show as parts of it disintegrated over Guam and Saipan around 13:25 UTC (23:25 LT) on the same day. Residents of Saipan and…

Space debris re-entry over Florida on July 3, 2019

Space debris re-entry over Florida on July 3, 2019

A Chinese CZ3 rocket body entered Earth's atmosphere around 06:16 UTC (02:16 EDT) on July 3, 2019, creating a spectacular show over Florida, U.S. The event lasted about 30 – 40 seconds. The American Meteor Society (AMS) received 23 reports by 17:30 UTC from…