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This shift towards private sector leadership in space exploration symbolizes a new model: scientific and exploratory ambitions maintained through cost-effective, commercially driven operations versus traditional government-funded projects. Instead of bearing the astronomical expenses of past lunar missions, the current strategy harnesses the emerging private space industry, making space more accessible and sustainable.
The Expanding Space Debris Ecosystem
While the race to the moon intensifies, Earth's orbit is becoming increasingly cluttered with man-made objects. The U.S. Air Force maintains an official catalog of orbiting objects—ranging from active satellites to defunct rocket stages and space debris. However, this catalog represents only part of the picture.