LBMR uses radio telescopes to track geostationary debris 36210km

Technology Jul 28, 2026

Scientists have just figured out how to track space junk 36210km above Earth using radio telescopes.

Thanks to the LBMR project (backed by NATO and the UK Space Agency), they bounced radar signals off debris in geostationary orbit and picked up those signals with telescopes like the Lovell Telescope in the UK.

Researchers find debris optical systems miss

This new method lets researchers spot even tiny pieces of debris that regular optical systems usually miss, making real-time tracking possible.

The team overcame big tech challenges, like syncing up US radar transmitters with overseas telescopes, which Marco Martorella from the University of Birmingham admitted once seemed "like a crazy idea."

Next up: using more telescopes together to track debris in 3-D, which could make satellites much safer and help protect future space missions.