The August 2026 issue of ESSI's Orbitwise newsletter – a round-up of general space sustainability news – has been published
27 August 2026
The August 2026 issue of ESSI's Orbitwise newsletter – a round-up of general space sustainability news from around the world – has been published. It features the Secure World Foundation's panel on orbital data centres, Space Scotland's sector sustainability assessment, a University of Warwick study uncovering previously undetected debris in geostationary orbit, the UK and Australia joining the US TraCSS system, India's commitment to debris-free missions by 2030, China's first controlled recovery of a rocket first stage, and Australia's new Statement on Space.
WELCOME
Welcome to this August Orbitwise.
ESSI’s Members’ Area on our website (www.essi.org) is now up and running. In it you can access a constantly growing library of materials: slides; summaries of the ISO space sustainability standards that ESSI have prepared; thought-leadership papers; reports etc. We would encourage you to join as a member and please let us know if you wish to share information on the Members’ Area.
We have now drafted the framework of a space debris mitigation standard which we intend to sit above ISO 24113, the high-level ISO standard. This will be circulated to the space debris working group and is available on our Members’ Area. The next framework to be drafted will be that for dark skies.
ESSI’s consultancy work on various aspects of space sustainability continues and we will publish several articles and papers on our work shortly.
ESSI will launch space sustainability training on 19 and 20 November in London. Next month we will circulate the agenda for this and the opportunity to be involved.
Look out shortly for news of various collaborations and further opportunities for our members.
Thank you to you all.
The ESSI Team
SPACE SUSTAINABILITY UPDATE
INTERNATIONAL
Secure World Foundation
Secure World Foundation hosts panel on Orbital Data Centres and Space Sustainability
On 29 July, the Secure World Foundation hosted a panel discussion, “An Initial Conversation: Orbital Data Centers & Space Sustainability,” in response to the growing number of filings to the United States (US) Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from prospective Orbital Data Centre (ODC) operators. Secure World Foundation has filed comments on several of these applications, recognising the importance of supporting commercial innovation while highlighting the space safety and sustainability considerations that these novel operations raise. The panel examined what space policy and safety measures can do to ensure a safe and stable orbital environment while continuing to facilitate innovation.
The panel was moderated by Alex Shi, Senior Program Analyst at the Secure World Foundation, and featured Ronald Birk, Principal Director, Space Enterprise Evolution Directorate at Aerospace Corporation; Matias Cava, National Space Policy Lead, Policy, Advocacy and International Division, Office of Space Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce; Ezra Fielden, Co-Founder and CTO at Starcloud; and Jeff O’Neil, Director of Government Affairs at Planet Labs.
The full panel recording can be viewed here.
EUROPE
United Kingdom
Space Scotland publishes Scottish Space Sector Sustainability, Safety, Security and Resilience Assessment
On 3 June, Space Scotland’s Environmental Task Force published the public findings of the Scottish Space Sector Sustainability, Safety, Security and Resilience Assessment. The Assessment was carried out by Callala Ltd and supported by the UK Space Agency’s Devolved Administration Fund.
The Assessment found that over 80% of almost 200 organisations with a significant presence in Scotland viewed sustainability as a core business value rather than a compliance burden. It also found that when asked what Space Scotland itself should prioritise, space sustainability ranked first, with space safety second.
The Assessment produced 16 evidenced recommendations, with the central recommendation being to expand the Space Scotland Sustainability Roadmap to bring safety, security and resilience in as co-present elements alongside sustainability, making the causal connections between them explicit and extending the Roadmap’s relevance across the full breadth of the Scottish space ecosystem.
Commenting on the Assessment’s public release, Andrew Iwanoczko, author of the report and founder of Callala Ltd, said: “The sector is more ready than ever to take positive steps toward building a resilient space environment. The appetite is there. What’s needed now is the structural support to turn that appetite into consistent action. Space Scotland is a key UK-based organisation to build it.”
The full Assessment can be read here.
Warwick study uncovers previously undetected debris population in geostationary orbit
In a new study published in the Journal of the Astronautical Sciences on 24 June, researchers at the University of Warwick found 25 previously missed debris tracks in geostationary orbit (GEO), uncovering some of the faintest debris ever observed in the region, with fragments as small as 5cm in size.
The researchers uncovered the previously invisible debris by re-examining a dataset from an earlier space debris survey conducted using the 8.3-foot (2.54-metre) Isaac Newton Telescope in La Palma, Canary Islands. By applying newly developed image-processing algorithms, the team was able to distinguish much fainter, smaller fragments than had previously been possible in distant GEO, and to characterise their behaviour by examining light curves, finding many to be tumbling through space. Accounting for the new detections, nearly 80% of the faint objects found in the study were not previously documented in publicly available catalogues, highlighting the need for scientifically driven surveys of the region.
Co-author Dr Stuart Eves, space consultant at SJE Space Ltd, said: “The debris in geosynchronous orbit is a potential minefield. No-one in their right mind would enter a terrestrial minefield without a mine detector. Similarly, no-one in their right mind should launch a satellite to GEO without an adequate debris survey.”
UK Space and Defence Gateway opens at Harwell, backed by Astra Carta partnership
On 10 July, His Majesty King Charles III officially opened the UK Space and Defence Gateway at Harwell Science and Innovation Campus.
The Gateway creates a dedicated hub for the space and defence sectors, driving national and global collaboration between government, academia, innovators and industry. During the visit, the Sustainable Markets Initiative, established by His Majesty in 2020, announced a partnership with Harwell Science and Innovation Campus to advance the principles of the Astra Carta.
The Astra Carta is a global framework launched by His Majesty in 2023, intended to convene the private sector in creating and accelerating sustainable practices across the global space industry. The Astra Carta Seal will be installed at the UK Space and Defence Gateway.
Poland
Poland’s Creotech Instruments selected for Orbit Fab’s ASTRAL in-orbit servicing mission
It was announced in July that Polish company Creotech Instruments S.A. will participate in the Advancing Satcom Technology with Refuelling and Logistics (ASTRAL) project. The ASTRAL project aims to develop in-orbit servicing technologies. It is led by in-space logistics company Orbit Fab and is being implemented by an international consortium comprising partners from the United Kingdom, Austria, Lithuania and Poland.
Creotech Instruments S.A. will supply two proprietary HyperSat satellite platforms, which will form the basis of the servicer spacecraft and the target spacecraft. The mission is scheduled for 2028–2029.
Commenting on the announcement, Grzegorz Brona, President of the Management Board of Creotech Instruments S.A., said: “The selection of the HyperSat platform by Orbit Fab for the ASTRAL mission confirms the maturity of our technologies and their competitiveness in the international space market. At the same time, it opens the door for us to the field of in-orbit satellite servicing, which is set to become one of the fastest-growing areas of the space economy in the coming years.”
NORTH AMERICA
United States
UK and Australia become first National Government Account users on US TraCSS system
On 9 June, it was announced that the US Department of Commerce’s Office for Space Commerce (OSC) has begun onboarding ‘National Government Accounts’ onto the Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS). The Governments of the United Kingdom and Australia are the first to onboard as National Government Account users.
TraCSS delivers basic Space Situational Awareness (SSA) data and services to space operators, supporting spaceflight safety and sustainability. The new National Government Accounts give governments visibility into space safety information for all spacecraft affiliated with their country, on a read-only basis. The move extends TraCSS’s reach beyond individual satellite operators, giving states direct insight into their own national spaceflight safety picture and a stake in the broader conversation on global space safety.
Katalyst Space’s LINK to conduct rendezvous and proximity operations with NASA’s Swift Observatory
On 3 July, Katalyst Space’s LINK robotic servicing spacecraft launched aboard a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket on a NASA-contracted mission targeting the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory (Swift) to conduct rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO).
Following attitude-control issues encountered after launch, NASA and Katalyst announced on 20 August that LINK will instead conduct RPO activities in the vicinity of Swift, rather than attempting capture and reboost as originally planned. The RPO activities will demonstrate key capabilities to inform future satellite servicing missions. Swift is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere later this year.
ASIA
India
India and US host Space Situational Awareness Workshop
Between 22–23 June, the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network and the US Office of Space Commerce hosted the India-US Joint Space Situational Awareness Workshop in Bangalore, India.
The workshop brought together SSA experts from across industry and government to discuss the operation of the US’s TraCSS and India’s ISRO System for Safe & Sustainable Operations Management (IS4OM), and to explore opportunities for deeper collaboration between the two systems.
India reaffirms commitment to debris-free space missions by 2030
In a written reply to India’s upper house of parliament (Rajya Sabha) on 13 August, Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, set out ISRO’s response to collision risks arising from the proliferation of low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellations. His response centred on India’s Debris Free Space Mission (DFSM). The DFSM, first declared at the 42nd IADC Annual Meeting in 2024, commits all Indian space actors to debris-free missions by 2030. Dr Singh reaffirmed that ISRO centres are studying Active Debris Removal (ADR) technologies, including Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) and on-orbit servicing, as precursors to future missions.
Dr Singh also reaffirmed ISRO’s membership of the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) since 1996, alongside its participation in the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) Long-Term Sustainability (LTS) Working Group and the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) debris working group. He noted that India’s Space Policy mandates internationally recognised end-of-life disposal guidelines, with IN-SPACe’s 2024 Norms, Guidelines and Procedures encouraging post-mission disposal or natural decay within a limited orbital lifetime. Together, these measures reflect India’s efforts to align its growing space programme with international debris mitigation standards as LEO congestion increases.
China
China achieves first controlled recovery of a carrier rocket first stage
On 10 July, China successfully recovered the first stage of its Long March-10B carrier rocket during the vehicle’s orbital launch. The Long March-10B was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, a subsidiary of the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The recovery marks a major milestone in China’s development of reusable rocket technology, making China the second country, after the United States, to achieve controlled recovery of an orbital-class rocket first stage.
The Long March-10B launched from the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site on Hainan Island. After the first and second stages separated, the first-stage booster returned to a seaborne recovery platform, where it was captured by a net capture system, making the Long March-10B China’s first reusable launch vehicle to successfully complete a recovery mission.
OCEANIA
Australia
Inovor Technologies and SpaceData sign MoU to explore SSA and SDA cooperation
On 15 July, South Australian satellite manufacturer Inovor Technologies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Japanese space technology company SpaceData Inc to explore new commercial opportunities in SSA and Space Domain Awareness (SDA).
Under the MoU, Inovor Technologies and SpaceData will explore new services using space-based SSA and SDA data, support future joint projects and proposals, and grow their presence in the Australian and Japanese markets.
Australian Government publishes Statement on Space, reaffirming commitment to safe and sustainable international space governance
On 21 July, the Australian Government released its Statement on Space, with a specific focus on facilitating an “enduring space ecosystem.” The Statement identifies five areas where Australia’s space industry is well placed to engage, contribute and grow across the global space economy: trusted space services, the spaceflight ecosystem, space platforms, the microgravity ecosystem, and exploration technologies.
From a sustainability perspective, one of the Statement’s five Action Themes reaffirms Australia’s intent to shape international governance by contributing to global rules and norms for the safe and sustainable use of outer space.
The Statement sets out the Government’s vision and priorities only; delivery of the actions it outlines will depend on continued collaboration between government, industry, academia and the community.
Australia and Singapore hold inaugural Space Dialogue
On 20 July, Enrico Palermo, Head of the Australian Space Agency, and Ngiam Le Na, Chief Executive of the National Space Agency of Singapore (NSAS), co-chaired the inaugural Australia-Singapore Senior Officials’ Space Dialogue on the margins of the Australian Space Forum in Adelaide. The Dialogue was established following an agreement by Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Lawrence Wong under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership 2.0, signed on 8 October 2025.
In particular, officials discussed expanding access to SSA data and analytical capabilities, alongside contributing to the development of international rules, norms and best practice for the responsible use of outer space. They also highlighted the value of coordinating on these issues through UNCOPUOS, the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) and meetings of the Artemis Accords.
Mr Palermo and Ms Ngiam welcomed the outcomes of the Dialogue and agreed both agencies would continue discussions to enhance bilateral space cooperation.
Optus completes first phase of Project Aurora satellite life-extension mission
On 12 August, Australian telecommunications operator Optus announced it had completed the first phase of Project Aurora, a mission to extend the operational life of its Optus D3 satellite. Working with SpaceLogistics, a division of Northrop Grumman, Phase I used a Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) that docked with Optus D3, providing the propulsion and attitude control support needed to maintain its orbital position. Phase I concluded with the successful undocking of the MEV from the satellite.
Phase II is now underway. Optus is on track to extend the life of Optus D3 by up to six years through the installation of a Mission Extension Pod (MEP) in late 2027. Once installed, the MEP will augment D3’s propulsion capabilities, acting as an additional fuel source and helping to secure service continuity into the 2030s.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- 40th Annual Small Satellite Conference – 23–26 August 2026, Salt Lake City, Utah, US.
- Outer Space Security Conference 2026 – 8–9 September 2026, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland and online.
- AMOS (Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies) Conference – 15–18 September 2026, Maui, Hawaii, US.
- 77th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) – 5–9 October 2026, Antalya, Turkey.
- ITU Space Sustainability Forum 2026: Connecting the World from the Skies – 12–14 October 2026, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- 8th Summit for Space Sustainability, Secure World Foundation – 4–5 November 2026, Brasilia, Brazil.
- Space Tech Expo Europe 2026 – 17–19 November 2026, Bremen, Germany.
- GNOSIS26 Conference 2026 – 24–25 November 2026.
- United Nations Conference on Lunar Activities – 9–11 December 2026, Vienna International Centre, Vienna, Austria.
- In-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing Conference – 23 February 2027, ExCeL London, UK.
If you would like more information on any matter please contact us at contact@essi.org