safety
Collisions in space are a growing concern. A plan to address it is reigniting a turf war
Summary by The Nashville Editorial Desk · Based on reporting by Jackie Wattles , NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate)
· July 22, 2026
· 3 min read
As the number of satellites orbiting Earth continues to grow, so does the risk of crashes between these spacecraft. Such collisions could create fields of debris, potentially rendering entire areas of orbit useless. Objects in space have crashed, or had near misses, in the past. But while such in...
Story provenance No corrections
Summary created by The Nashville Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Original reporting Jackie Wattles, NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate) Original story Read at the source Source published Jul 22, 2026 Indexed here Jul 22, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
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Key takeaway But while such incidents remain extremely rare, there are now more than 18,000 active and inactive satellites in orbit a number that has more than doubled in the past six years alone.
Why this matters in The Nashville
As Nashville's own thriving tech industry continues to grow, the city's connection to the global space economy becomes increasingly relevant. The US Federal Communications Commission's new rules to modernize the approval process for satellites and create new space safety provisions may have implications for local businesses and research institutions involved in the space sector. With the risk of collisions in space growing, Nashville's community of engineers, researchers, and entrepreneurs may be impacted by the ongoing turf war between the FCC and the Department of Commerce over space regulatory authority. The city's proximity to major research universities and its own emerging tech scene make it a potential hub for innovation in space safety and traffic management, and the outcome of this regulatory debate could influence the development of these local industries. As the commercial space industry continues to boom, Nashville's stakeholders will be watching closely to see how these new rules and regulatory battles play out.
About this story
Original reporting by NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate) . The Nashville surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: safety ·
Published: July 22, 2026 ·
Source: NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate) ·
Reading time: 3 min
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? As the number of satellites orbiting Earth continues to grow, so does the risk of crashes between these spacecraft. Such collisions could create fields of debris, potentially rendering entire areas of orbit useless. Objects in space have crashed, or had near misses, in the past. But while such in...
When was this published? This article was first published on July 22, 2026 by NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate) and curated for The Nashville readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Jackie Wattles at NewsChannel 5 WTVF (CBS affiliate). To learn more about how The Nashville selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more safety coverage from The Nashville, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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