The Thien Cung space station collided with space debris, causing damage to the solar battery and was successfully repaired.
Astronauts of the Shenzhou 17 mission performed two spacewalks outside the Tiangong station this past winter, the most recent on March 1, to repair damage. China said it would strengthen measures to handle space debris after the Tiangong space station lost power partly due to solar panels being hit by space debris. Space reported on April 24.
The spacewalks were successful, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said on April 24 at a press conference. The agency also plans to take more active action in the future to ensure safety against space debris.
Xinhua, China’s state news agency, did not specify whether the debris that damaged the Thien Cung station was from micrometeorites or human activity. Both types of debris are a threat to the Thien Cung station and the International Space Station (ISS).
Space debris from human activities is increasing. As of April 2024, the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) is tracking more than 43,000 space objects. According to the Union for Concerned Scientists, as of May 2023, there are more than 7,500 satellites operating in space, the majority of which are SpaceX’s Starlink broadband satellites.
Thien Cung station has repeatedly adjusted its position to avoid collisions with space debris. According to CMSA deputy director Lin Xiqiang, China is enhancing its ability to accurately forecast orbits of space stations and small low-orbit targets, optimizing warning and collision avoidance procedures in space, At the same time, reduce the false alarm rate by 30%.
Upcoming measures include monitoring Thien Cung station more closely with high-resolution cameras mounted on the station’s robotic arm and assigning station reinforcement tasks to the Shenzhou 18 crew. During spacewalks, they will install equipment that increases space debris resilience for pipes, cables and critical equipment outside the station.