Billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and his ventures, particularly SpaceX, have contributed to the growing problem of space debris orbiting Earth. Recently, a startup named Atomic-6 introduced a protective material termed “space armor” designed to safeguard astronauts and satellites from this increasing threat.
Currently, there are approximately 8,600 operational Starlink satellites circling the planet, a number that necessitates ongoing replenishment due to both natural decay and the approximately 25,000 identifiable pieces of debris already in orbit. Just this week, SpaceX launched 21 relay satellites for the US Space Force, adding to the congestion in low Earth orbit.
Researchers warn that while 25,000 pieces of debris are tracked, there may be as many as 170 million smaller fragments that are too tiny to monitor but could still inflict significant damage on vital space infrastructure. With mid-space collisions becoming more frequent, space traffic controllers reportedly issue about 1,000 collision warnings daily.
The innovative “space armor” consists of lightweight tiles crafted through a composite-to-resin method. Atomic-6 asserts that this material can protect both spacecraft and astronauts from debris measuring under 3 millimeters, which accounts for a significant portion of the debris in low Earth orbit. “Satellites and astronauts are constantly threatened by millions of untrackable, hypervelocity particles in orbit,” the company explained to Space.com.
Unlike traditional satellite shielding, which can shatter upon impact and create additional debris, the newly developed space armor aims to solve this long-standing issue. According to Trevor Smith, CEO of Atomic-6, the development process took approximately 18 months, and the tiles have successfully endured rigorous projectile testing on the ground. “We offer Space Armor in simple hex tiles, but we can technically make Space Armor into most any shape you want,” he noted.
In addition to mitigating the hazards posed by debris, Atomic-6 highlighted that the armor also addresses the “growing threat” of “adversarial spacecraft,” referring to the military capabilities of nations such as Russia and China. Although no kinetic attacks on competing spacecraft have been recorded to date, the potential for such incidents remains a concern.
Starting in 2026, satellites equipped with this innovative armor are set to be launched into orbit, as efforts continue to combat the increasing risk associated with space debris and potential adversarial actions in outer space. The prospect of astronauts wearing this protective armor remains uncertain, but ongoing developments in this field are promising.
