Advanced Space Awarded Phase II Contract for Space Debris Tracking with IARPA

Advanced Space is continuing the development of state-of-the-art techniques to detect, track, and characterize previously non-trackable orbital space debris under The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) Space Debris Identification and Tracking (SINTRA) program.

WESTMINSTER, CO, 8 January, 2026– Advanced Space, with partners Orion Space Solutions and ExoAnalytic Solutions, was recently awarded a Phase II contract with the IARPA  Space Debris Identification and Tracking (SINTRA) program to continue the development of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) and other novel approaches for the detection, tracking, and characterization of currently non-trackable space debris in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO). During Phase I, Advanced Space and partners found compelling evidence for using unique phenomena to detect and track orbital debris and in Phase II, will focus on multi-modal data collection and processing, large-scale statistical analyses of observed phenomena, and AI/ML methodologies for processing and creating data. Less than 1% of debris with the potential to cause mission-ending damage is currently tracked, posing ongoing threat to missions operating in Earth’s orbit and those transiting to cislunar or deep space destinations.

The IARPA SINTRA program began in July 2023 to understand the interaction of orbital debris with the surrounding space environment, and whether the resulting phenomena can be used to detect, track, and characterize small, lethal non-trackable orbital space debris. Debris less than 10cm in size cannot be tracked with current methodologies but pose a significant threat to space assets. SINTRA seeks to enable the tracking of the small debris population through developing state-of-the-art for sensors capable of detecting debris signatures and develop automated methods for signature analysis and debris tracking. Phase II of SINTRA will focus on characterization and maintaining custody of objects and is slated to be completed by end of January 2027.