Orbiting Overload Crisis
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently released data revealing an unprecedented surge in essential collision-avoidance maneuvers (CAMs)
undertaken in 2025, totaling a record-breaking 140. This significant number, the highest recorded between 2010 and 2025, starkly illustrates the escalating challenge of managing space traffic. Each CAM is a critical intervention, requiring ISRO to carefully propel satellites to avert potential catastrophic collisions with other orbital debris or active spacecraft. The implications of this growing congestion are profound, necessitating constant monitoring and sophisticated planning to ensure the longevity and safety of vital space assets. This increase in maneuvers also directly translates to substantial fuel expenditure and potential disruptions to planned orbital activities, making robust space situational awareness more critical than ever for all space-faring nations.
Navigating the Cosmic Traffic Jam
ISRO's commitment to safeguarding its space assets is evident in its proactive approach to monitoring potential orbital hazards. In 2025, the organization meticulously tracked numerous close approaches, performing 140 CAMs to ensure the safety of Indian satellites and spacecraft. This record figure reflects a persistent upward trend, with numbers steadily climbing from just 1 in 2010 to 140 in 2025. The complexity of orbital mechanics means that simply avoiding one threat can inadvertently create another, a challenge that led to 82 revised maneuver plans for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites to prevent post-maneuver conjunctions. Similarly, two revised plans were required for Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites, highlighting the intricate web of interactions in space. Specific missions, like the ISRO-NASA joint NISAR satellite launched in July, also required dedicated maneuvers, with four CAMs for GEO missions and 14 for LEO missions demonstrating the diverse needs across different orbital regimes.
Data-Driven Space Safety
The sheer volume of alerts generated by tracking centers underscores the intensity of the space traffic situation. In 2025 alone, the US-based Combined Space Operations Centre issued over 1.50 lakh alerts concerning India's earth-orbiting satellites. This deluge of information is crucial for ISRO's operational intelligence, allowing them to plan and execute necessary interventions. The report details that beyond the 140 specific CAMs, numerous other maneuvers were performed across various orbits. LEO satellites underwent 563 maneuvers, including 14 CAMs, while GEO satellites saw 519 maneuvers, with 4 being CAMs. Even the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter, during its planned orbital adjustments in January and July, required 16 maneuvers, two of which were CAMs. The meticulous risk analysis applied to all maneuver plans, including CAMs, is essential to avoid creating new close approaches with neighboring space objects in the immediate aftermath of an evasive maneuver, emphasizing a holistic approach to space traffic management.
