T-Minus Space Daily

Episode: Microdebris, Maneuvers, and Managing the Orbital Commons
Date: December 16, 2025
Host: Maria Varmazas (N2K Networks)
Featured Guest: Trevor Smith, Co-Founder & CEO of Atomic6

Main Theme Overview

This episode dives into the growing risks posed by microdebris in Earth orbit, recent efforts in space traffic management and defense, and innovations aiming to protect critical space assets. The highlight is an expert interview with Trevor Smith of Atomic6 about their new composite “space armor” material designed to mitigate secondary debris and enhance astronaut safety.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

[01:50] - [08:40] | Daily Intelligence Briefing: Top Space Industry Stories

• US-France Joint Orbital Exercise and Operation Olympic Defender

  • The US and France conducted a bilateral rendezvous and proximity operation (RPO) as part of the multinational Operation Olympic Defender, rehearsing maneuvers with satellites for inspection, repair, and potentially hostile actions.
  • Quote:
    “The mission saw two satellites maneuvering closely around each other in a way that can be used for various military missions...from inspection to refueling, to repair or even to attack an enemy satellite.” (Maria Varmazas, 02:28)

• AeroDrive’s Seed Round

  • AeroDrive raises $5.3 million to scale autonomous self-driving modules for satellites, enhancing satellite maneuverability and space traffic intelligence.

• US State Department Call for Private Sector Advisors on Space Situational Awareness (SSA)

  • Seeking experts from industry, academia, and non-profits to advise on SSA and space traffic management, including participation in UNCOPUOS discussions.

• VAST Call for Research Proposals

  • VAST invites proposals for research aboard Haven One Lab, the world’s first crewed commercial microgravity research and manufacturing facility, and on future ISS astronaut missions.

• Momentus Vigoride 7 Testing

  • Momentus completes environmental testing of its Vigoride 7 orbital service vehicle, scheduled for SpaceX’s Transporter 16 in March 2026.

[10:16] - [20:52] | Featured Interview: Trevor Smith, Atomic6 - Rethinking Space Armor

The Problem with Traditional Debris Shielding

• Traditional protection is based on the Whipple Shield—stacked metallic plates designed to absorb kinetic energy and stop debris.
• Key issue: These metallic shields generate “secondary debris” upon impact, sometimes ejecting more mass than the original projectile.
  • Quote:
    “More mass is actually ejected from that metallic plate than the original projectile coming in to hit it.” (Trevor Smith, 11:11)

The Space Armor Solution

• Atomic6 is developing an all-composite (non-metallic) “space armor,” designed to absorb impacts without generating dangerous secondary debris.
• Demonstration: Side-by-side video tests showed that Atomic6’s shield emits less debris and gas than equivalent aluminum, dramatically reducing the risk of snowballing debris (Kessler Syndrome).
  • Quote:
    “On the left side we have space armor… there’s really no harmful debris… On the right side is a monolithic block of aluminum… you’ll see there’s additional debris coming out of the backside.” (Trevor Smith, 11:46)

Unique Features

• Hexagonal Tiles: “We’re building these in hexagon shaped tiles… you literally can just use adhesive to apply it to the outside of the spacecraft.” (Trevor Smith, 13:29)
• RF-Permeable and RF-Blocking Versions: First debris shield that can allow or block radio frequency signals, enabling protection over radio antennas without hindering communications.
  • “There has been no debris protection historically that stopped debris and allowed radio frequency through it... your comm system... is arguably the most important piece of the spacecraft.” (Trevor Smith, 14:14)
• Two models: “Light” (3mm) and “Max” (12.5mm); both undergoing final impact, vibration, and thermal vacuum testing.

Flight Timeline & Adoption

• First flight (with their solar array product) scheduled for March 2026. “Space Armor” itself to launch with two customer satellites in October 2026 on SpaceX Transporter 17, reaching flight heritage through SBIR funding.
• “We have two customers that have signed up to fly it on the same launch in October.” (Trevor Smith, 15:52)

Terrestrial Applications & Future Opportunities

• Defense Against Directed Energy: Holds up well against high-energy laser threats, providing protection for both space and terrestrial communications.
• Blast/Explosive Protection: Potential applicability for shielding against explosives such as grenades or C4, due to the similar speed of projectiles.
  • “We do believe it will also be applicable terrestrially across all domains... the market ironically for space armor could be drastically bigger on Earth than it could be in space.” (Trevor Smith, 18:05)
• Astronaut Suit Protection: Exploring lightweight, hard armor versions for spacesuit integration, addressing dangers of micrometeoroid or debris impacts during spacewalks.
  • “Commander Chris Hadfield… told me the ISS sounds like rain on a tin roof, which would terrify me if I’m doing a spacewalk.” (Trevor Smith, 19:14)

Website Updates & Contact

• Rolling out “quote now” options for different shielding levels and RF/standard versions at atomic6-atomic-6.com.
• Trevor Smith encourages professional outreach via LinkedIn.

[21:30] - [24:30] | Bonus Science Segment: Earth’s “Dust Cloud” to the Moon

• New research suggests Earth’s magnetic field has been channeling atmospheric ions onto the Moon for billions of years.
• This process, called atmospheric escape, may help explain unexpected volatiles found in lunar soil, suggesting the Moon holds a chemical record of Earth’s atmosphere.
  • “So yeah, that pig pen dust cloud doesn’t sound so silly now, does it?” (Maria Varmazas, 22:20)
• Implication: Future lunar explorers may find more usable resources, easing long-term Moon missions.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On secondary debris and shielding:
  “It actually creates more debris than the original impact.” (Trevor Smith, 11:27)
• On astronaut risk:
  “The ISS sounds like rain on a tin roof.” (Trevor Smith citing Chris Hadfield, 19:14)
• On innovation:
  “To my knowledge, this is actually the very first radome ever built for space.” (Trevor Smith, 14:05)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:50] Daily Space Industry News
• [10:16] Interview with Trevor Smith begins
• [11:20] Risks of secondary debris with traditional shielding
• [12:46] Explanation of Atomic6’s composite “Space Armor”
• [13:29] Hexagonal tile system and engineering details
• [15:52] Upcoming launches and customer flights
• [18:05] Terrestrial defense applications
• [19:14] Astronaut suit integration; “rain on a tin roof”
• [21:30] Earth’s atmospheric dust influencing the Moon

Summary

This fast-paced, informative episode spotlights the major threats to the orbital commons—especially the overlooked peril of microdebris—and how next-generation materials, like Atomic6’s composite space armor, could mitigate those threats in orbit and beyond. The blend of news, technological advancement, and human experience offers a holistic look at what’s next for safeguarding astronauts, spacecraft, and the orbital environment.