Ars spoke with the military’s chief orbital traffic cop—here’s what we learned

The U.S. military is closely monitoring approximately 2,000 to 2,200 objects in orbit, described as the "red order of battle." This designation likely refers to objects of concern or potential threat within the space domain. The military's chief orbital traffic controller shared this information, highlighting the ongoing efforts to manage and understand the increasingly crowded and complex environment of space.

This matters because understanding and tracking potentially adversarial objects in orbit is crucial for national security and the safe operation of all space assets.