China’s Tiangong Space Station Faces Threat of Space Debris, but Successful Repairs and Enhanced Measures Keep It Safe

Astronauts from the Shenzhou 17 mission recently performed two successful spacewalks outside the Tiangong space station to repair damage caused by a collision with space debris. The collision led to a loss of power for the station, prompting China to announce stronger measures to handle space debris in the future.

The Thien Cung space station has been adjusting its position to avoid collisions with space debris, while China is enhancing its ability to forecast orbits accurately and reduce false alarm rates. Future measures include monitoring the station with high-resolution cameras, assigning reinforcement tasks to the Shenzhou 18 crew during spacewalks, and installing equipment to increase resilience against space debris.

According to Xinhua, China’s state news agency, 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 23.

The successful repairs on the solar battery were announced at a press conference on April 24 by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). The agency plans to take more active action in the future to ensure safety against space debris.