Scientists are planning to put traffic lights in space.
Scientists plan to put traffic lights in space
The US government has recruited the company LeoLabs to help set up the traffic management system to prevent thousands of satellites from crashing into each other.
The system will track the movements of satellites and tip off operators when they are on a collision course with one another or space junk. Boffins will then be able to remotely move the satellite routes.
Around 8,000 satellites currently orbit Earth but at least 33,000 will be in orbit within the next 10 years as around 400,000 are approved for further launch.
LeoLabs chief Dan Ceperley said: "Companies are quite conscious of the fact that if they lose entire orbits, their business plans start to really get hurt.
"They're ticking time bombs."