Ukraine to give Polish forces drone defence training after incursion
Ukrainian troops and engineers will train their Polish counterparts in a joint group on countering drones, Ukraine's defence minister Denys Shmyhal sa...
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.”
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
A day of mourning has been declared in Portugal to pay respect to victims who lost their lives in the Lisbon Funicular crash which happened on Wednesday evening.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
At least eight people have died and more than 90 others were injured following a catastrophic gas tanker explosion on a major highway in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa district on Wednesday, authorities confirmed.
Ukrainian troops and engineers will train their Polish counterparts in a joint group on countering drones, Ukraine's defence minister Denys Shmyhal said on Thursday, a week after Russian drones flew into Poland.
The Ambassador of Afghanistan to Russia, Ghulam Hassan, has met with Zamir Kabulov, Moscow’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, to discuss deepening ties and regional engagement, the Afghan embassy in Moscow said on Wednesday.
FBI chief Kash Patel told the U.S. Senate on Tuesday there was “no credible information” that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked women or underage girls to anyone but himself, as he defended the bureau’s decision to close its review.
As well as a text message, the suspect accused of assassinating right-wing activist Charlie Kirk in Utah also wrote a physical note message before the shooting that he planned to kill Kirk, FBI Director Kash Patel said on Monday.
Displaced Palestinians fled Gaza City overnight on Thursday (18 September), moving southwards after Israeli forces ordered residents of the city to evacuate to the south.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment