China Takes Proactive Steps to Ensure Space Debris Safety on Tiangong Station

The Thien Cung space station recently sustained damage due to a collision with space debris, prompting the successful repair of its solar battery by astronauts. The Shenzhou 17 mission’s crew performed two spacewalks outside the Tiangong station to fix the damage. In response to this incident, China has announced plans to strengthen its measures for handling space debris and ensure the safety of future missions.

The successful repairs were announced by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) at a press conference on April 24. The agency also revealed that it would take more active steps in the future to safeguard against space debris. Xinhua, China’s state news agency, did not specify the source of the debris that caused the damage to Thien Cung station. Both micrometeorites and human activity pose a threat to space stations like Thien Cung and the International Space Station (ISS).

As of April 2024, NORAD is tracking over 43,000 space objects, with more than 7,500 satellites in orbit as of May 2023. To avoid collisions with space debris, the Thien Cung station has been adjusting its position. Additionally, China is enhancing its ability to forecast orbits accurately and reduce false alarm rates.

In terms of future measures, China plans to monitor the station using high-resolution cameras and assign reinforcement tasks to the Shenzhou 18 crew during spacewalks. The country will also install equipment designed to increase resilience against space debris. These proactive steps aim to protect not only Thien Cung but also other space stations in orbit.

In summary, while collisions with space debris are always a concern for manned missions in orbit, China is taking proactive steps towards ensuring their safety and minimizing potential risks for astronauts and equipment alike.