SpaceX has unveiled Stargaze, a new Space Situational Awareness (SSA) system designed to enhance satellite safety in low Earth orbit (LEO) by drastically improving collision detection and response times.

The system leverages data from nearly 30,000 star trackers embedded across SpaceX’s Starlink satellite fleet, enabling continuous, multi-angle monitoring of objects in orbit. This network generates approximately 30 million object transits daily, providing near real-time positional and velocity estimates for satellites and space debris—significantly outpacing traditional ground-based radar systems that typically observe objects only a few times per day.

CEO Elon Musk announced the initiative on X, stating:  “This will greatly reduce the probability of collisions that create orbital debris (space junk) hazards.” He emphasized that SpaceX will make Stargaze’s conjunction screening data freely available to all satellite operators worldwide, aiming to foster industry-wide cooperation and safer space traffic management.

Stargaze comes amid growing concerns over orbital congestion. With over 14,000 active and inactive satellites in LEO—including around 3,500 non-operational ones—risks of collisions have surged. Uncoordinated maneuvers, abandoned rocket bodies, and anti-satellite tests have further heightened danger.

A key example occurred in late 2025, when a Starlink satellite faced a third-party spacecraft whose operator did not share trajectory data. Initial predictions showed a safe 9,000-meter miss distance.

However, five hours before closest approach, the third-party satellite executed an unannounced maneuver, reducing the gap to just 60 meters. Stargaze detected the change almost immediately, generated updated Conjunction Data Messages (CDMs) within minutes, and enabled the Starlink satellite to execute an avoidance maneuver within an hour—preventing a potential collision. Legacy systems would have failed to respond in time.

Stargaze’s core innovation lies in using Starlink satellites themselves as passive sensors, turning their star trackers into a distributed space-based surveillance network. The system operates via a reciprocal data-sharing model: operators who submit their own ephemeris data receive Stargaze-generated CDMs and data from other participants.

From spring 2026, this service will be fully rolled out to all satellite operators who share trajectory information.

The initiative follows a growing industry demand for transparency and coordination, especially after incidents like a near-collision with a Chinese-deployed satellite.

SpaceX is also developing a massive satellite constellation (potentially 1 million satellites) to power its xAI artificial intelligence project, making Stargaze even more critical for managing future orbital density.

Musk's Stargaze represents a paradigm shift in space traffic management—moving from infrequent, reactive tracking to continuous, proactive monitoring—potentially setting a new global standard for orbital safety.

YouTube rival Rumble has launched TikTok alternative, Rumble Shorts on rumble.com/shorts, introducing a swipeable, personalized feed for vertical short-form videos under 90 seconds. The feature is now live on the platform’s homepage and individual creator channels, enabling users to discover content and creators while supporting them through Rumble Wallet tipping.

Mobile app versions are expected later in February 2026, pending app store approvals, CEO Chris Pavlovski announced on X, emphasizing the platform’s commitment to free expression. “Rumble Shorts provides a digestible viewing option, and of course, there’s free speech with every swipe,” he said.

Pavlovski added that the new feature strengthens Rumble’s mission to be “the best place on the Internet for content creators” by boosting discovery, amplifying long-form content, and offering new monetization pathways.

The launch of Rumble Shorts is part of a broader strategy to build a free speech ecosystem, complementing earlier initiatives like the non-custodial Rumble Wallet—launched in partnership with Tether. The wallet supports USDT, USAT, XAUt, and BTC, enabling instant, censorship-resistant tipping directly within the platform, powered by Tether’s Wallet Development Kit (WDK).

This move comes amid heightened competition with TikTok, which faces backlash over data security and censoirship concerns. In March 2024, Pavlovski publicly offered to acquire and operate TikTok’s U.S. operations if ByteDance divested from the platform, positioning Rumble as a free-speech alternative. TikTok US was recently acquired instead by a consortium led by Oracle's Larry Ellison, a top donor to the Israel Defense Force.

Rumble’s growth has been fueled by its appeal to creators disillusioned with mainstream platforms. After a surge in users during the 2020 election and pandemic, Rumble grew from ~1 million to over 60 million monthly active users. The platform continues to expand through strategic partnerships, including with Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), which uses Rumble Cloud for its Truth Social platform. The company also plans a business partnership with Northern Data to expand GPU and data center capacity.

Rumble Inc. (NASDAQ: RUM), founded in 2013 by Pavlovski, positions itself as a “free speech alternative” to Big Tech. It remains a Freedom-First technology platform focused on cloud, AI, and digital media, built on principles of customer independence, free speech, and decentralized monetization, the company says.