Space News Mission Log — Satellite Launches, Orbital Events & Analysis
Daily space news, satellite launch reports, orbital debris analysis and weekly roundups — grounded in live tracking data from our network monitoring 54 published reports.
Understanding Atmospheric Drag on Satellites: A Detailed Guide
Atmospheric drag is a key factor affecting satellites in low Earth orbit, influencing their speed and altitude over time.
Why Does the ISS Need to Be Reboosted?
Thin air still slows the ISS near 400 km above Earth. Periodic engine burns replace lost orbital energy and keep the station at a useful operating altitude.
What Happens If Two Satellites Collide?
A satellite collision can leave fragments circling Earth long after the spacecraft are destroyed. Their altitude helps determine how long the danger lasts.
How Often Do Satellites Maneuver? What Our Detector Sees
Orbital Radar logged 45,196 orbit-change events over the past month. Explore what those detections reveal about satellite activity—and why they are not a count of thruster firings.
Oldest Satellite Still in Orbit: Vanguard 1 and the Top Ten
Vanguard 1 remains the oldest satellite orbiting Earth. Its surviving companions include rocket hardware and early scientific satellites whose orbits explain their longevity.
Low Earth Orbit: Why Space Is Busiest Below 2,000 km
Low Earth orbit hosts space stations, broadband constellations and Earth-observation missions. Explore how it works, why it is crowded and what keeps satellites flying safely.
How Do Astronauts Get Back to Earth?
Astronauts return in spacecraft that slow down, survive atmospheric heating and land under parachutes. The journey ends with an ocean splashdown or a touchdown on land.
Why Is Landing on Mars So Hard?
Mars has enough atmosphere to threaten an arriving spacecraft, but not enough to land it safely with a parachute alone. Every landing must solve both problems autonomously.
How Many Starlink Satellites Fall Each Day?
1.5 Starlink satellites re-enter Earth's atmosphere each day, according to Orbital Radar data. Explore the reasons behind these controlled re-entries.
How Satellites Are Tracked: From Radar to Orbit Predictions
Satellite tracking turns radar echoes, telescope images and radio measurements into orbit predictions. Here is how it works, where uncertainty enters and how to check a pass.
Understanding Orbital Decay: Why Satellites Fall to Earth
Orbital decay is the gradual reduction of a satellite's orbit due to atmospheric drag and gravitational forces, leading to eventual reentry.
Sputnik 1: the satellite that started the Space Age
Launched on 4 October 1957, Sputnik 1 became Earth's first artificial satellite. Its radio pulses announced a new technological era, while its brief mission helped scientists investigate the upper atmosphere.