The Tiangong Space Station Collides with Space Debris, Solar Panel Damaged and Successfully Repaired.
The astronauts of the Shenzhou 17 mission conducted two spacewalks outside the Tiangong Space Station during the past winter, with the most recent one occurring on March 1, to repair the damaged components. China has announced plans to enhance its space debris management protocols after the Tiangong Space Station experienced partial power loss due to solar panels being struck by space debris, Space reported on April 24.
Astronauts from the Shenzhou 17 mission conducting a spacewalk to repair solar panels on the Tiangong Space Station on March 1, 2024. (Photo: CMSA)
The spacewalks were successfully completed, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced during a press conference on April 24. The agency also stated that it plans to implement more proactive measures in the future to ensure safety against space debris.
Xinhua, the state news agency of China, did not specify whether the debris that damaged the Tiangong Space Station originated from micro-meteoroids or human activities. Both types of debris pose a threat to the Tiangong Space Station and the International Space Station (ISS).
The amount of space debris from human activities is on the rise. As of April 2024, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is tracking more than 43,000 space objects. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, as of May 2023, there are over 7,500 operational satellites in space, the majority being SpaceX’s Starlink broadband satellites.
The Tiangong Space Station has repeatedly adjusted its position to avoid collisions with space debris. According to Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the CMSA, China is enhancing its ability to accurately predict the orbits of the space station and small low-orbit targets, optimizing warning and collision avoidance processes in space, and aiming to reduce false alarm rates by 30%.
Upcoming measures include more thorough monitoring of the Tiangong Space Station using high-resolution cameras mounted on the station’s robotic arm and assigning the Shenzhou 18 crew to reinforce the station. During their spacewalks, they will install equipment to increase the resilience of pipelines, cables, and critical external equipment against space debris.
