Space traffic management

Dear five-year-old,

Space is really big, and we've sent a lot of things up there like satellites and space shuttles! But just like how there are traffic rules and traffic lights on the streets to make sure cars don't crash into each other, there needs to be a set of rules and guidelines for space so things don't collide up there.

This is where space traffic management comes in. It's like a big traffic control center in space that helps keep track of all the objects up there and makes sure they don't crash into each other. Just like how mommy and daddy make sure you wear your seatbelt and follow traffic rules, space traffic management makes sure that all the crafts up there follow the rules too.

Scientists use really fancy equipment to track everything up there like satellites and debris, and then they plan and schedule the paths of each craft so they don't get too close. Just like planes have a flight path or route to follow, spacecrafts have designated paths too so they don't bump into each other.

So, in a nutshell, space traffic management is all about making sure everything in space stays safe and doesn't bump into each other, just like how we stay safe and don't bump into other cars on the road!