A COMPANY backed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) plans to deploy a space-sensing satellite constellation to safeguard space stations, spacecraft, and satellites. This initiative aims to address the growing safety risks from Earth’s increasingly congested orbit, driven by the rapid expansion of global commercial space activity. The constellation, named Star Eye, will consist of 156 satellites designed to establish a rapid-response, near-Earth monitoring network with global coverage, according to an announcement last week by Geovis Insighter Technology. The system will track the trajectories of spacecraft and space debris in real time, provide collision warnings, and assist in space traffic management. Hefei-based Geovis stated that satellite launches will begin in the first half of next year and proceed sequentially to gradually complete the full network. With the commercial aerospace sector booming, the number of satellites and debris in orbit has risen sharply, creating urgent demand for clear space-traffic guidance services, noted Wu Yirong, a CAS academician and director of the CAS Aerospace Information Research Institute. Star Eye will offer end-to-end data support for commercial satellite operators, governments, and research institutions — covering satellite launch, orbital operations, and end-of-life disposal — thereby significantly improving the reliability and success rate of space missions, Wu explained. He added that in the future, the constellation could also provide data services to third parties such as insurance companies and research institutions. The Star Eye program was announced just one day after the China National Space Administration released a three-year action plan to advance commercial aerospace. The plan outlines measures to track and analyze space debris, build a dynamic debris database, and support early warnings, in-orbit collision handling, and emergency response for unexpected incidents. According to AskCI Research, China’s commercial aerospace industry first surpassed 1 trillion yuan (US$141.3 billion) in 2020 and has since maintained an average annual compound growth rate of over 20%. The sector reached 2.3 trillion yuan last year and is projected to grow to 2.8 trillion yuan this year. (SD-Agencies) | 