An illustration of space debris in low-Earth orbit (LEO). The problem of space debris has become worse as payload launch costs have gone down, creating hazards for satellites in orbit. (Shutterstock/Frame Stock Footage)

Why the US Space Force Is Tapping into Public ‘Space Junk’ Data

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“Mission Delta 2,” the Space Force’s effort to collect data on objects in space, is preparing to collect public data on the location of debris—so as to avoid future collisions.

The US military already operates a global network of radars and optical telescopes capable of tracking objects in orbit. Meanwhile, commercial companies are simultaneously generating enormous amounts of independent tracking data. Though both the military and the commercial sector are pursuing this effort by themselves, both are doing it for the same reason: vast amounts of space debris can damage satellites and complicate attempts to launch additional payloads into orbit, requiring constant tracking efforts.

A problem has developed where both the military and commercial information streams operate in parallel rather than being automatically fused into the same picture, leading to wasted dual effort. To........

© The National Interest