Space junk: UWA teams up with Polish Space Agency to track debris orbiting Earth

WA researchers have teamed up with Polish experts to track space junk orbiting above Australia.

The project involves University of WA researchers using state-of-the-art imaging equipment at the UWA space surveillance hub combined with data from the Polish Space Agency.

UWA Associate Professor Mr David Coward is the lead scientist on the project and said the research was “critical” in understanding what exactly is orbiting above the country.

“Australia’s rapidly growing sovereign reliance on space is providing new opportunities and challenges and it is becoming critical to know what’s in orbit above Australia,” he said.

“The space above Earth is becoming increasingly dangerous due to space debris – consisting of non-functional satellites, final stage rocket bodies and even flakes of pai