Space, once considered a vast and silent void, is now facing an unprecedented “traffic jam” that has put the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on high alert. According to the Indian Space Situation Assessment Report 2025, Indian satellites encountered “close approach” situations nearly 150,000 times in the past year. This surge in congestion is primarily due to the rapid deployment of thousands of new satellites by private companies for global internet services, alongside thousands of pieces of space debris circulating in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
The statistics from 2025 reveal a staggering increase in orbital activity; there were 315 successful launches worldwide, placing 4,651 objects into space—a massive leap compared to previous decades. Currently, there are 4,198 active satellites operational in various orbits. Every “close approach” warning signifies a potential collision risk, where a piece of debris or another satellite passes dangerously close to an Indian asset. Most of these critical alerts are provided by the U.S. Space Command’s Combined Space Operations Center, necessitating constant vigilance from Indian scientists.
To protect its multi-billion dollar space assets, ISRO has moved into an aggressive defense mode. In 2025 alone, the agency performed 18 Collision Avoidance Manoeuvres (CAMs)—14 in LEO and 4 in Geostationary Orbit (GEO)—to shift a satellite’s path or altitude when a collision risk was identified. Additionally, ISRO had to alter its pre-planned orbital strategies 82 times for LEO satellites and twice for GEO satellites. Experts warn that we are reaching a “tipping point” where the sheer density of active satellites could lead to chain-reaction accidents, potentially creating even more debris and endangering future space exploration.
