UN teams assess damage as wildfires rage across Syria’s Latakia province
UN teams have deployed to Syria’s coastal Latakia province, where wildfires have been burning for four days, forcing hundreds of families to flee an...
The rise in satellites and space debris threatens low Earth orbit. Experts urge global cooperation on data sharing and regulation to prevent collisions, safeguard technology, and ensure sustainable use of space. Urgent action is needed to address this growing challenge.
The rapid growth in satellites and space debris risks rendering low Earth orbit (LEO) unusable without international cooperation and data sharing, experts have warned. United Nations panel on space traffic coordination recently called for urgent action, proposing a global database of orbital objects and a framework for their management.
Currently, over 14,000 satellites, including 3,500 inactive ones, and 120 million pieces of debris orbit Earth, according to Slingshot Aerospace. Only a fraction of this debris is trackable, and collisions are becoming increasingly likely.
Panel co-chair Aarti Holla-Maini, of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, stressed the need for shared information among operators to ensure space safety and prevent disruptions to vital global technologies.
Despite this urgency, a centralised system for all space-faring nations is lacking. Geopolitical tensions, security concerns, and commercial secrecy hinder progress.
Meanwhile, incidents like a Chinese rocket stage explosion in August and a defunct Russian satellite explosion in June have added thousands of debris fragments to LEO, intensifying the problem.
LEO, critical for commercial space activities due to its cost efficiency, is now congested. Starlink alone had over 6,700 satellites in orbit by November and performed 50,000 collision-avoidance manoeuvres in the first half of 2024, double the previous period. NorthStar Earth & Space estimates collision-related financial risks could reach $556 million over five years without effective regulations.
Global rules akin to those governing air traffic are seen as essential. Existing tools such as radars, telescopes, and databases can track objects, but geopolitical tensions and commercial sensitivities remain barriers. Current informal methods, reliant on data from bodies like the U.S. Space Force, lack consistency and accountability.
UN-led efforts aim to outline steps for international coordination and will present recommendations next year. “Speed and trust are the biggest challenges,” said Holla-Maini. “But global cooperation is essential to safeguard the future of outer space.”
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck off Japan’s Tokara Islands on Wednesday, with no tsunami warning issued but residents advised to remain vigilant.
The United States has rescinded licensing restrictions on ethane exports to China, allowing shipments to resume after a temporary halt and signalling progress in efforts to ease recent trade tensions.
Italy plans to grant approximately 500,000 work visas to non-EU nationals between 2026 and 2028, as announced in a cabinet statement. The initiative aims to address labor shortages by expanding legal immigration pathways
Following a deadly glacier collapse in Blatten, near the Swiss Alpine village of Kandersteg, the town is on high alert as melting permafrost and shifting rock threaten another potential disaster after it was buried a month ago.
China’s northern and western provinces are on high alert for flash floods and landslides as intense monsoon rains continue to overwhelm defences, killing at least seven and displacing communities across the country.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has urged Elon Musk to steer clear of politics and prioritise his companies, after the Tesla CEO announced the formation of a new political party in defiance of President Donald Trump.
TikTok is building a new version of its app for U.S. users ahead of a planned sale to American investors, The Information reported, as President Donald Trump prepares fresh talks with China over the platform’s future.
BRICS leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro have condemned attacks on Iran, Gaza and Kashmir, while presenting the expanded bloc as a rising force for multilateralism in a world dominated by U.S.-led policies.
UN teams have deployed to Syria’s coastal Latakia province, where wildfires have been burning for four days, forcing hundreds of families to flee and destroying large areas of farmland and infrastructure.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed that 21 people died in a crash early Sunday morning on the Zaria-Kano expressway in Nigeria.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment