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Deorbit

All articles tagged with #deorbit

Starlink Re-entry Wave: 260 Satellites Burn Up in Orbit
technology8 days ago

Starlink Re-entry Wave: 260 Satellites Burn Up in Orbit

SpaceX told the FCC that 260 Starlink satellites re-entered and burned up in Earth's atmosphere from December 2025 to May 2026—176 first-generation and the rest second-generation—with another 349 satellites retired for disposal. In total, 1,344 Starlink satellites have re-entered to date as SpaceX continuously refreshes the constellation, sometimes deorbiting four to five per day. SpaceX maintains that re-entry incinerates the hardware with no harm to people on the ground, but researchers warn of potential ozone-depleting gas releases and are calling for environmental reviews, though the FCC is considering exemptions for large satellite constellations.

via PCMag|
#deorbit#fcc#orbital-debris
SpaceX to build a one-use ISS deorbit vehicle to plunge the station into the Pacific
space15 days ago

SpaceX to build a one-use ISS deorbit vehicle to plunge the station into the Pacific

NASA awarded SpaceX up to $843 million to develop the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle, a heavily upgraded Dragon designed to dock with the ISS, burn for hours to push the 430-ton lab from its orbit, and guide it to a controlled reentry that ends with debris sinking in the remote South Pacific near Point Nemo around 2030. The mission is single-use and NASA will own and operate it; preserving or boosting the ISS to a higher orbit is considered impractical given its size, age, and complexity. The plan accompanies a broader shift toward private stations while ensuring U.S. presence in orbit, and involves launch, ground support, and international coordination.

via Space Daily|
#deorbit#international-space-station#nasa
Hubble in a Death Spiral: Will Its Era End Soon?
science4 months ago

Hubble in a Death Spiral: Will Its Era End Soon?

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, launched 36 years ago, is now in a precarious era as orbital drag and aging gyros threaten its stability; forecasts place possible reentry from the late 2020s to the mid-2030s, with options including a controlled reentry or boosting to a higher orbit, though a post-Shuttle servicing mission isn’t feasible and any final mission remains uncertain, even amid occasional proposals like a SpaceX Crew Dragon visit.

via Futurism|
#deorbit#hubble-space-telescope#nasa
ISS to Enter the Pacific Space Cemetery in 2030
space5 months ago

ISS to Enter the Pacific Space Cemetery in 2030

NASA plans a late-2030 controlled deorbit of the International Space Station, guiding it to Point Nemo in the South Pacific—the farthest place from land—to minimize debris risks; breakup will occur in stages, with most of the station burning up on reentry and only a few dense components likely to splash down in the uninhabited ocean region, marking the largest controlled deorbit to date.

via The Daily Galaxy|
#deorbit#iss#nasa
US Space Force taps Starfish Otter for first-ever satellite disposal contract
space5 months ago

US Space Force taps Starfish Otter for first-ever satellite disposal contract

The U.S. Space Force awarded Starfish Space a $52.5 million contract to deorbit satellites using the Otter servicing spacecraft—the first end-of-life disposal deal for a large low-Earth orbit constellation. Starfish aims to launch Otter by 2027 to retrieve and dispose of at least one (potentially more) satellites within the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture network, signaling a shift toward affordable, repeatable satellite servicing in orbit.

via Space|
#deorbit#low-earth-orbit#otter
Russia Plans to Recycle Its Old ISS Module for a New Space Station
space6 months ago

Russia Plans to Recycle Its Old ISS Module for a New Space Station

Russia plans to recycle its aging half of the ISS to form the core of a new space station called ROS, after the current ISS is decommissioned post-2030. The decision follows economic setbacks and geopolitical issues, with concerns about the structural integrity and biological hazards of the Russian modules. The new station aims to maintain collaboration with India and continue orbiting in a similar path as the ISS.

via Jalopnik|
#deorbit#iss#ros
Elon Musk and NASA Plan ISS Ocean Crash by 2031
science-and-technology1 year ago

Elon Musk and NASA Plan ISS Ocean Crash by 2031

The International Space Station (ISS) is set for a controlled deorbit into the South Pacific Ocean in 2031, raising concerns about potential environmental impacts on Earth's atmosphere and oceans. While the ISS's reentry is not expected to significantly contribute to ocean pollution compared to other human activities, its atmospheric impact is less understood. NASA has contracted SpaceX to develop a deorbit vehicle for the ISS, but the lack of an international legal framework for space hardware disposal remains a concern. Environmental groups and researchers are calling for more regulations to address these issues.

via Space.com|
#deorbit#environmental-impact#international-space-station
Tianzhou 7 Completes Mission with Atmospheric Reentry
space1 year ago

Tianzhou 7 Completes Mission with Atmospheric Reentry

China's Tianzhou 7 cargo spacecraft, which delivered supplies to the Tiangong space station earlier this year, has been deorbited and burned up in Earth's atmosphere. After undocking from the station on November 10, it reentered the atmosphere on November 17, likely over the South Pacific Ocean. Before reentry, Tianzhou 7 released a 6U cubesat named Bayi-08 for Earth observation and communication purposes. Meanwhile, China has launched the Tianzhou 8 mission to continue resupplying the Tiangong station.

via Space.com|
#china#cubesat#deorbit
SpaceX Dragon Thrusters Successfully Boost ISS Orbit for First Time
space1 year ago

SpaceX Dragon Thrusters Successfully Boost ISS Orbit for First Time

SpaceX is preparing to deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) by 2030, following a successful test where its Dragon rocket performed a "reboost" to maintain the station's altitude. This marks the first time SpaceX has conducted such a maneuver, traditionally done by Northrup Grumman or Roscosmos. The data from these operations will aid in designing a larger spacecraft to deorbit the ISS, which will have triple the engines of a standard Dragon. The ISS is expected to be decommissioned by 2031.

via Jalopnik|
#deorbit#dragon-rocket#international-space-station