Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

China has unveiled a program for a new-generation space situational awareness constellation. That gaggle of 156 satellites is named EYESAT, with deployment to start early next year.

EYESAT is aimed at creating a globally covered and rapidly responsive monitoring network in near-Earth orbit to enhance space environment safety, according to China Central Television (CCTV).

Collision prevention

“The primary function of the space awareness constellation is to collect data from both space debris and operating satellites,” said Hu Yu, head of the EYESAT initiative.

Hu Yu, head of the EYESAT space situational awareness constellation program.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

“The data will be analyzed and offered to active satellites in orbit to prevent them from colliding with one another, or with debris,” Hu told CCTV.

Once fully operational, EYESAT is to detect, track, identify and catalog on-orbit satellites, while also monitoring space debris.

Space traffic management

“By analyzing satellite orbital data and predicting collision risks,” CCTV adds, “it will provide precise and efficient data services for space traffic management.”

On one hand EYESAT is welcomed news.

On the other, this is an Interesting development, suggests a space debris analyst to Inside Outer Space. “Glad they are building a capability to keep an eye on all of the rocket bodies they are abandoning at record pace.”