US space tracking alert helps Bangladesh's satellite avoid Indian satellite debris

A piece of debris from a defunct Indian satellite came dangerously close to Bangladesh's first satellite, forcing engineers at Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited (BSCL) to manoeuvre BS-1 out of the path of the approaching object.

The potential collision was detected through the US space surveillance and tracking system, which issued an alert on 9 August that an object was rapidly approaching Bangladesh Satellite-1, commonly known as BS-1.

BSCL engineers spent the next four days monitoring the debris and calculating how far and in which direction the satellite could be moved without creating risk.

They eventually shifted BS-1 slightly to the left on 13 August and kept it in the adjusted position until the debris passed. The satellite was later returned to its original position.

At its closest approach, the debris came within just 852 metres of BS-1, according to BSCL.

"Not only operational satellites are moving around in space. Parts of old satellites, launch vehicles and spacecraft that have lost control also remain in Earth's orbit. These are known as space debris," BSCL Managing Director Muhammad Imadur Rahman told The Business Standard.

"An object like this was heading towards our satellite. With information from the US space surveillance system, our engineers handled the situation very effectively," he said.

The incident highlights a growing challenge for satellite operators worldwide: the increasing volume of defunct spacecraft and fragments orbiting Earth, which can travel at extremely high speeds and pose a serious collision risk to operational satellites.

On 10 February 2009, for example, Russia's inactive Cosmos-2251 satellite collided with the operational US communications satellite Iridium-33. Both satellites were destroyed, generating thousands of additional pieces of debris.

Four days to avoid a collision

According to BSCL, the debris that approached BS-1 was identified as belonging to India's INSAT-1A, one of the country's early communications satellites.

Data from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) show that INSAT-1A was launched on 10 April 1982. It developed problems only a few months after launch and was deactivated on 6 September that year.

Although the satellite itself has been inactive for decades, parts of it continue to travel through space.

The US space surveillance system tracks objects in orbit and provides warnings when a potentially dangerous object is expected to pass close to an operational satellite.

After receiving the warning, BSCL engineers began continuously monitoring the trajectory of the debris and assessing possible manoeuvres.

"The moment we received the alert, we informed our engineers and cancelled their leave," Imadur Rahman said.

He said the authorities also maintained continuous communication with the posts concerned, while updated information on the debris' position was received periodically from the US tracking system.

The decision was not as simple as moving BS-1 away from the approaching debris.

Engineers had to determine whether moving the satellite would itself create a new risk, how far it could be moved, and which direction would be safest. They also had to calculate how and when the satellite could be returned to its designated position.

"Moving the satellite to a new position itself can create risks. We had to calculate all these factors before taking the decision," Imadur Rahman said.

After analysing the trajectory, BSCL engineers decided on 13 August to move BS-1 slightly to the left.

The satellite remained in the adjusted position while the debris passed through the potentially dangerous zone. Once the risk had passed, engineers brought BS-1 back to its previous position.

Imadur Rahman said the satellite suffered no significant damage during the process.

He described the successful manoeuvre as an achievement for BSCL's engineering team.

BS-1 under 24-hour watch

BS-1 was built by France-based Thales Alenia Space and launched in May 2018.

During the initial years of operation, the satellite was jointly managed with the support of three ground stations in the United States, Italy and South Korea. Under the government's agreement, operational responsibility was handed over to BSCL in 2021.

The main control centre is now located at the Joydebpur ground station in Gazipur.

More than 50 engineers work at the ground station, with satellite operations monitored around the clock through shifts, according to BSCL.

The ground station is responsible for monitoring the satellite's health, position and operations, as well as carrying out necessary manoeuvres when required.

Not the first close call

According to BSCL, similar incidents occurred in both 2021 and 2025. In 2021, the threat came from debris associated with a Russian satellite. In 2025, a US satellite passed unusually close to BS-1.

The incidents underline the vulnerability of satellites operating in increasingly crowded orbital environments. Unlike aircraft or ships, satellites cannot simply change course whenever another object approaches. Any manoeuvre requires calculations involving orbital mechanics, fuel availability, the satellite's operational position and the potential impact on its services.

Bangladesh launched BS-1 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on 12 May 2018. At the time, it was named Bangabandhu Satellite-1. The name was later changed following the 2024 July Uprising.

The satellite cost Bangladesh around Tk3,000 crore and made the country the 57th nation to own a communications satellite.

The project had faced questions over its high cost and commercial viability, but BS-1 has since become an important part of Bangladesh's telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructure.

The satellite has 40 transponders, half of which can be used for domestic requirements and the other half leased to users outside Bangladesh, generating foreign-currency revenue.

Bangladesh's television channels are among the major users of the satellite's services, according to BSCL.