NASA says the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, launched in 2004 to study gamma-ray bursts, is expected to fall to Earth next week after 22 years in orbit. A $30 million rescue attempt in July 2026 using a robotic craft called LINK to boost Swift's orbit failed due to control-system problems, and increased solar activity since 2024 had already accelerated the satellite's descent by thickening the upper atmosphere. As of October 26, NASA reported Swift was orbiting less than 170 miles above Earth's surface.
wired.com
· 2026-11-03
The Stevens County Sheriff's Office reported that an 11-foot metallic object was found in a Scott Township cornfield on October 14, 2026, and is coordinating with state and federal agencies to identify its owner and remove it. Analysis by Ars Technica indicates the debris is likely from a LandSpace Zhuque-2E rocket that launched from China's Gobi Desert, deployed 10 satellites, and later broke apart over Kansas and Minnesota during reentry.
futurism.com
· 2026-10-21
A roughly 11-foot-diameter metal object, believed to be debris from a Chinese Zhuque-2E rocket, was found in a cornfield in Scott Township, Minnesota, during fall harvest. The rocket had launched from Dongfeng in China on September 15, deployed 10 satellites, then reentered the atmosphere without completing a full orbit, with fiery debris seen streaking over Kansas and Minnesota that night. The Stevens County Sheriff's Office said it is working with state and federal agencies to identify the object's owner and arrange removal.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-10-19
Turion Space, an Irvine, California startup founded in 2020, has unveiled a new brand identity to reflect its evolution from a space debris removal company into a broader space infrastructure business. The company now builds vehicles, software, and payloads that enable spacecraft to maneuver, gather data, and complete missions in orbit, and it is pursuing larger government contracts against established aerospace firms and newer space rivals.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-29
LeoLabs has built a transportable radar system called Scout-S, a shipping-container-sized unit that can be set up almost anywhere in a matter of hours using just a generator and a Starlink connection. The system is designed to monitor the rapidly growing number of satellites and debris fragments in low Earth orbit, which has swelled from roughly 2,000 objects in 2019 to nearly 17,000 today, with Starlink accounting for most of that growth.
cnet.com
· 2026-09-18
Astroscale executive Ron Lopez discussed the company's upcoming ISSA-J1 mission for JAXA, which will require rendezvousing with two decommissioned Japanese satellites rather than a rocket body. Unlike the ADRAS-J2 mission targeting a stable rocket stage, ISSA-J1 must approach satellites with protruding solar arrays that are likely tumbling, demanding more advanced rendezvous and proximity operations technology.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-09-11
Odin Space is selling adhesive vibration sensor strips that satellites can use to detect and measure debris impacts, addressing the mystery behind many small-satellite failures. Meanwhile, Atlanta-area company Atomic-6 is working on lighter alternative shielding to replace or improve upon traditional aluminum panels and Whipple shields used to protect spacecraft from high-speed debris strikes.
techspot.com
· 2026-09-10
Scientists in China have developed a new aluminum-based material modeled on the microstructure of eggshells, aiming to better protect spacecraft from high-speed debris impacts. The work, published in the Journal of Applied Physics, builds on decades of research into how an egg's curved geometry gives it surprising rigidity despite its thinness and fragility.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-09-08
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