The European Space Agency (ESA) has announced the commissioning of the Izaña-2 station. It will be used to test space debris tracking technology.
Every year, space debris becomes an increasingly significant problem. The increase in the number of space launches and the deployment of mega-satellite constellations have significantly increased the risk of collisions in near-Earth orbit, which could have very serious consequences.
As part of its space safety program, ESA is actively working to develop technologies aimed at detecting and tracking debris, as well as preventing collisions in orbit using new and innovative methods. One such initiative is the deployment of the Izaña complex on the island of Tenerife. The German company DiGOS recently completed construction of the Izaña-2 station, allowing the complex to be put into operation.
The complex consists of two stations. Izaña-2 operates as a laser transmitter, emitting powerful laser pulses toward objects in orbit. Izaña-1 then acts as a receiver, capturing photons reflected from them. The technology enables the acquisition of highly accurate data on the position of objects in orbit, which is vital for systems designed to manage space traffic and prevent collisions.
But the project has a more ambitious goal. In the future, ESA hopes to create a system that will not only determine the position of space debris fragments, but also prevent collisions. The idea is to change the orbit of debris by hitting it with laser beams from Earth. This technology has the potential to significantly improve satellite safety and pave the way for sustainable space utilization.
Earlier, we reported on the most famous cases of space debris falling to Earth.
According to ESA
