Space was the ultimate frontier until manned spaceflight ventured into the unknown. There are now about 5,000 satellites orbiting Earth, and commercial space travel is gaining momentum. However, the concept of sustainability in space is also present in public debate, with industry and governments working on solutions to address issues such as space debris. Through 2021, an estimated $92 billion was invested in the space sector.
1. world space week
In 1999, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed World Space Week with the primary purpose of celebrating the contribution of space science and technology to the improvement of the human condition. Today, the debate has evolved to how to tackle space debris while benefiting from space technology. Sustainability is at the center of the agenda on the occasion of the ongoing World Space Week, with panelists discussing how space exploration contributes to the sustainable development of our planet and how space travel is safe and sustainable. I will argue about how to guarantee
2. space debris
Space debris removal should be a joint responsibility of all spaceflight nations for the benefit of all mankind. More than 27,000 pieces of orbital debris are currently being tracked by the Department of Defense’s global Space Surveillance Network (SSN) sensors, according to NASA. There are more debris in the near-Earth space environment, too small to track, but big enough to threaten human spaceflight and robotic missions, according to the U.S. Space Agency. In the event of a large-scale collision, certain orbits could become unusable for decades to come.
The European Space Agency (ESA), which runs the same surveillance mechanism, says it has found more than 30,000 pieces of space debris so far this year. According to ESA, most rocket bodies launched today are safely placed in compliant disposal orbits or removed from low earth orbit (LEO) before breaking up into dangerous debris clouds. But today’s active satellites have to stay out of the way of objects that were launched decades ago and then fragmented.
To meet this challenge, the EU has launched an approach to space traffic management to cover both operational and regulatory needs and to pursue the necessary international cooperation, especially with the United States. Despite the alliance, Europe says it hopes to “reduce reliance on American systems” while ensuring interoperability.
“Extrapolating” current behavior into the future shows how the number of catastrophic in-space collisions will increase if we do not significantly change how space objects are used to launch, fly, and dispose.
European Space Agency
Recently, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed new rules to address the growing problem of space debris. Chairman Jessica Rosenworcel said she hopes to reduce the amount of time a LEO satellite floats in space after its mission ends, from 25 years to less than five years.
“Since 1957, humans have launched thousands of satellites into the skies, with the understanding that in many cases it is cheaper to abandon them than to deorbit them. It can stay in orbit for a long time, caring for increasingly crowded skies as space junk, increasing the risk of collisions and potentially ruining the satellites we rely on.
More than 30,000 additional satellites are expected to be launched in the next few years, according to EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton.
“Thanks to features made available by member states within the EU Space Surveillance and Tracking consortium, the EU already has surveillance and tracking capabilities. We monitor about 240 satellites in real time, including Galileo and Copernicus, and track collisions. ,” says Breton.
3. industry statement
Last year, the World Economic Forum (WEF) convened industry leaders to issue a joint statement through the Space Industry Debris Statement. Disposal of end-of-life spacecraft and removal of existing space debris already in orbit. An updated statement is expected in the coming months.
How can space debris be dealt with? Industry leader explains https://t.co/S7hxcA8nx1 pic.twitter.com/2nJHMfZ8s1
— World Economic Forum (@wef) October 27, 2021
When asked about what his space company is doing to tackle space debris, CEO and founder Makoto Okada said Astroscale is “proactively removing space debris, extending life, refueling, etc. We are contributing to the development of the space ecosystem with affordable orbital services.” orbital mobility, manufacturing in space, and waste management”. There is an urgent need to advance the technologies, policies, and economics that support space sustainability.
Lockheed Martin EVP Rick Ambrose says the company has developed several features for this dynamic environment. By cataloging objects and space debris, we provide our customers with better situational awareness and tools to act. “
