# @unoosa on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DQuEMa7Cq5-
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/36670338-unoosa-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/872ff6bf02.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-11-06T15:18:44.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** UNOOSA (@unoosa) — https://gondola.cc/unoosa

## Caption

🇨🇳🚀👨‍🚀 This week, three Chinese astronauts aboard the Shenzhou-20 mission were stranded in orbit after their return capsule was reportedly struck by a small piece of debris, which forced an emergency postponement of their return to Earth. Incidents like this highlight how orbital congestion is no longer a distant concern but an immediate threat to human life and the sustainability of outer space operations.
 
🇺🇳 COPUOS addresses these challenges through the Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines and the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities (LTS Guidelines). These instruments provide international frameworks for preventing the creation of new debris and reducing risks from existing objects. The next frontier is national implementation, making sure they become concrete, domestic policies, regulations, and operational practices. 
 
However, only about 40,000 space objects are large enough to be tracked, despite estimates suggesting as many as 130 million pieces of debris. 
 
♻️ Just like with our climate, the problem is not going to go away by itself. This is why we are working with countries at the forefront of new technologies for active debris removal (ADR), mapping the complex legal, technical, and economic challenges involved with developing national and international guidelines to support the market for cleaning up our orbital environment. 
 
We urge States, operators, and industry to take urgent action to: 
 
1️⃣ Scale up SSA capabilities to detect and monitor smaller debris fragments that still pose serious risks to spacecraft, aviation, property on Earth and human life. 
 
2️⃣ Strengthen regulatory frameworks and implement the Space Debris Mitigation and LTS Guidelines. 

3️⃣ Raise awareness among policymakers, operators, and the public that what happens in orbit can have consequences at 36,000 feet and below. 

4️⃣ Start considering technologies, policies, and strategies for ADR. Space debris is a shared, growing risk that demands joint responsibility and immediate action.

#Shenzhou20 #UNOOSANews

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## Tags

shenzhou20, unoosanews

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