The telescope network operated by the Polish Space Agency (POLSA) continuously tracked the flight of astronauts during the Artemis II mission and provided data to NASA. Polish instruments, normally used to observe and precisely locate space debris, monitored key stages of the mission, including the launch and landing of the capsule. According to experts, data from the POLON telescope network make an important contribution to Europe’s network of ground- and space-based sensors.
“Space debris consists of very small objects located in outer space. Despite their small size, they can cause enormous damage because they travel at very high speeds and, upon impact with another object, can damage it or destroy it permanently,” says Dr Radosław Gurdak, chief specialist at the Department of Earth Observation, Navigation and Communication at the Polish Space Agency, in an interview with Newseria.
The European Commission estimates that more than one million pieces of space debris larger than 1 cm in diameter are orbiting Earth. These include, among others, spent parts of launch rockets, inactive satellites and fragments of satellites. According to the European Space Agency, as of April 2026 there are more than 17,500 satellites in Earth orbit, of which 15,200 are active. More than 50,000 new satellites are expected to be launched over the next decade. This, in turn, increases the risk of collisions in space.
The ability to detect and track artificial objects in near-Earth space, known as Space Surveillance and Tracking, or SST, is one of the key dimensions of space security.
“Poland is a leading country in the field of space debris observation. We have specialised companies that build telescopes and devices used to locate and track these objects with great precision,” Dr Gurdak emphasises. “The Polish Space Agency is part of a broader European monitoring centre for objects located in outer space. As a result, data from our Polish telescopes make a very important contribution to the European network.”
The Polish Space Agency operates the POLON network, or POLSA Optical Network, consisting of observatories located around the world. The telescopes are situated in Europe, Australia, Africa, South America and North America.
Data on space debris collected by these instruments were recently used during the Artemis II mission, specifically in relation to the flight of the Orion capsule. The information helped determine and verify the spacecraft’s orbit, particularly during such phases as the separation of the Orion module from the ICPS rocket stage, which was recorded by the POLON Chile A telescope.
“The role of Polish telescopes in the Artemis II mission was quite significant. More than a dozen instruments took part. Thanks to Poland’s membership in the European SST network, it provides key information about space debris and objects that could pose a threat to the mission during launch, flight and landing,” explains the POLSA expert.
The 10-day Artemis II mission was the first crewed mission in more than 50 years to reach the vicinity of the Moon, moving a record distance of more than 406,000 km away from Earth. On board were three Americans and one Canadian, who together travelled more than one million kilometres and returned safely to Earth.
The mission was the final test of the rocket and its life-support systems before a planned future human landing on the Moon. Its purpose was to verify essential safety and crew-operation aspects of flight beyond Earth orbit.
“The telescopes provide information that enables further measurements and analysis of objects in space that could threaten other missions. These devices can continue to be developed and improved. This allows Polish companies to compete with global leaders in creating solutions that make such tasks possible,” says the POLSA representative.
Europe Day, held on 9 May at the Europa Experience multimedia centre, provided an opportunity to discuss Poland’s space-sector specialisations.
