2409 new objects were launched into space in 2022, that’s more than ever before.
Last year though, also saw a record number of satellites reenter Earth’s atmosphere.
The rising number of reentries is not necessarily a bad thing. Disposing of satellites efficiently is one of the most important things for keeping low-Earth orbits safe.
However, most objects reenter in an uncontrolled manner: they are switched off at the end of their mission and left to fall and burn up in Earth’s atmosphere.
There is good news though. Advancing technology has seen a recent increase in “controlled reentries” for rocket bodies. A controlled reentry allows operators to remove their hardware from protected regions more quickly and with greater control over where, when and how it reenters – and even lands – at the cost of allocating some fuel to do so.
By the way, just because an older satellite wasn’t designed to be controlled during its descent doesn’t mean it’s impossible to do so. In July 2023, our teams guided the Aeolus satellite to burn up over uninhabited regions in the Atlantic and Antarctica, even though the satellite was designed in the late 1990s with no intention to control it in this way.
Our planet is surrounded by spacecraft helping us study our changing climate, save lives following disasters, deliver global communication and navigation services and help us answer important scientific questions.
But these satellites are at risk. Accidental collisions between objects in space can produce huge clouds of fast-moving debris that can spread and damage additional satellites with cascading effect.
In this animation, find out how teams at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, take action to keep satellites safe after receiving an alert warning of a possible collision between an active satellite and a piece of space debris.
When the alert is raised, ESA experts determine the risk of a collision and plan a collision avoidance manoeuvre that can be used to get the satellite out of harm’s way if necessary.
Additional observations of the piece of space debris help the team better understand its path and the risk of collision. If that risk remains too high (typically 1 in 10 000), the planned manoeuvre is carried out to temporarily change the orbit of the satellite until the threat has passed.
Each manoeuvre comes at a price. They take skill and time to plan, cost precious fuel – shortening the lifetime of the mission – and often require instruments to be temporarily shut off, preventing them from collecting important data.
While most alerts do not end up requiring evasive action, the number of alerts is rapidly increasing. Hundreds are already issued every week. Several companies have begun to launch large constellations into low-Earth orbit to provide global internet access. They have great benefits, but could be a source of huge disruption if we do not change our behaviour.
In just a few years, our current methods for avoiding collisions in space will no longer be enough. To safeguard humankind’s continued access to space for future generations, ESA is developing technologies for an automated collision avoidance system.
We are Europe’s gateway to space. Our mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. Check out https://www.esa.int/ to get up to speed on everything space related.
The launch of Sputnik, humankind’s first satellite, in 1957 marked the dawn of a new era for the people of the ‘Pale Blue Dot’.
Decades later, our planet is now surrounded by spacecraft carrying out extraordinary work to study our changing climate, save lives following disasters, deliver global communication and navigation services and help us answer important scientific questions.
But these satellites are at risk. Accidental collisions between objects in space can produce huge clouds of fast-moving debris. These clouds can spread and damage additional satellites with cascading effect, eventually making the most useful orbits around Earth no longer safe for spacecraft or people.
Satellites today have to carry out collision avoidance manoeuvres to avoid possible impact with debris. These are costly, and hundreds of collision avoidance alerts are already issued every week. [add para space}
And this is nothing compared to what is coming. Several companies have begun to launch mega-constellations into low-Earth orbit to provide global internet access. They have great benefits, but could be a source of huge disruption if we do not change our behaviour.
Our current methods for avoiding collisions in space will become inadequate in just a few years – and even compliance with space debris mitigation guidelines may no longer be enough.
It’s time to act.
ESA is developing technologies for an automated collision avoidance system, as well as methods for refuelling, repairing and upgrading satellites in orbit, extending the lifetime of missions and potentially reducing the number of new satellites that need to be launched.
ESA is also working on debris removal missions that will fly up to dead spacecraft and debris objects, capture them and move them to safety – either by sending them down to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere or up into ‘graveyard orbits’.
By reaching into space, we have brought huge benefits down to Earth, providing technologies that enrich our societies, connect people in previously unimaginable ways and give us an incredible perspective and understanding of our planet.
We know what will happen if we continue on our current path, but we also know exactly what we need to do to change that fate and ensure humankind’s access to space is guaranteed for future generations.
We are Europe’s gateway to space. Our mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. Check out https://www.esa.int/ to get up to speed on everything space related.
The European Space Agency (ESA) is part of an international effort to monitor and – ultimately – tackle space debris. This junk – accumulated in orbit since the dawn of the space age sixty years ago – poses an increasing risk to operational spacecraft.
ESA is developing missions to tackle the problem to help prevent a serious collision in space. The Agency is also monitoring possible dangers caused by fragments of redundant spacecraft falling to Earth, such as China’s space station Tiangong-1 – due to enter the atmosphere in the coming months.
Space debris has become a pressing issue, with objects in orbit flying out of control, posing a risk to satellites and to astronauts. We attended a meeting of space debris experts at ESA’s ESTEC technology base in the Netherlands to find out more about what can be done to deal with the problem.
O lixo espacial é um problema premente na órbita da Terra. Existem milhões de objetos a voar pelo espaço, descontrolados, colocando em perigo satélites e astronautas.
Em busca de uma solução para evitar uma colisão trágica para lá da última fronteira ou, quem sabe, o infortúnio de um qualquer detrito cair e atingir alguém na Terra, cerca de 200 cientistas reúnem-se todos os anos na Holanda, na base da Agência Espacial Europeia (ESA, na sigla original), para debater a limpeza do espaço e confrontar ideias sobre o desenvolvimento, por exemplo, de satélites mais seguros no fim de vida.
Existem quase 8000 toneladas de lixo espacial em órbita, incluindo cerca 29.000 objetos com mais de dez centímetros e mais de um milhão pequenos demais para poderem ser seguidos.
As colisões acontecem e todos os pedaços, mesmo os mais pequenos de apenas um milímetro, revelam-se perigosos, sublinha a diretora do gabinete da ESA para a limpeza do espaço.
I detriti spaziali sono un problema sempre più urgente. In orbita ci sono circa 8mila tonnellate di detriti spaziali: 29mila oggetti di oltre 10 centimetri e più di un milione di frammenti troppo piccoli per essere tracciati. Sono un pericolo per i satelliti e per gli astronauti. Le collisioni sono possibili, perciò ogni detrito rappresenta un pericolo.
Ogni anno 200 esperti in materia di spazzatura spaziale si riuniscono nella sede dell’Esa per affrontare la questione. Tra loro ci sono i rappresentanti delle agenzie spaziali e delle aziende che producono satelliti e razzi.
Körülbelül 8 000 tonna törmelék kering az űrben. 29 000 10 cm méretű, és több mint egymillió darab ennél is kisebb tárgy.
Az ütközések megtörténnek, és minden törmelék veszélyt jelent. Ezen a ponton még egy nagyon kicsi törmelék is jelentős, mert a sebessége, amivel utazik, ha egy másik testet vagy műholdat elér, felrobbanthatja azt, így még a legapróbb törmelékeknek is fontos a szerepük.
Minden évben 200 európai űrkutatási szakember találkozik az Európai Űrügynökség, az ESA hollandiai technológiai központjában, hogy megvitassák a fontos kérdéseket.
Ők képviselik a fontosabb szereplőket, és mindannyian egyetértenek abban, hogy mit kell tenniük.
Καλωσήλθατε στην εκπομπή Space. Ας ρίξουμε μια προσεκτική ματιά στο πιεστικό πρόβλημα των «διαστημικών σκουπιδιών». Υπάρχουν εκατομμύρια τέτοια αντικείμενα στο διάστημα εκτός ελέγχου. Ενέχουν κινδύνους για τους δορυφόρους και τους αστροναύτες. Τι μπορεί να γίνει; Βρισκόμαστε στη βάση του Ευρωπαϊκού Οργανισμού Διαστήματος στην Ολλανδία.
Υπάρχουν περίπου 8.000 τόνοι διαστημικών σκουπιδιών σε τροχιά — 29.000 αντικείμενα εντοπισμένα μεγέθους πάνω από 10 εκατοστά και πάνω από ένα εκατομμύριο μικρά «διαστημικά σκουπίδια .
Dans ce numéro de Space, Jeremy Wilks s’est penché sur l’épineuse question des débris spatiaux, avec les experts du centre européen de technologie spatiale de l’Agence Spatiale Européenne, aux Pays-Bas.
Este mes estamos observando de cerca el apremiante problema de los desechos espaciales. Literalmente hay millones de objetos en órbita volando fuera de control. ¿Qué se puede hacer?.
Estamos en el Centro Europeo de Investigación y Tecnología Espacial de los Países Bajos para averiguarlo.
Se estima que hay 8.000 toneladas de desechos espaciales orbitando: 29.000 objetos rastreados de más de 10 centímetros de tamaño y más de un millón de fragmentos demasiado pequeños para poder seguir.
Haz colisiones y cada pedazo de escombro es un peligro.
Space debris – a journey to Earth (3D stereoscopic version) takes the audience on a journey from the outer solar system back to our home planet. The objects encountered along the way are manmade. Originally designed to explore the universe, these are now a challenge for modern space flight. An estimated number of 700,000 objects larger than 1 cm and 170 million objects larger than 1mm are expected to reside in Earth orbits.
The video gives a closer look at the different regions used for space flight and explains how mitigation and removal measures could preserve future usage of these orbits.
Space debris – a journey to Earth takes the audience on a journey from the outer solar system back to our home planet. The objects encountered along the way are manmade. Originally designed to explore the universe, these are now a challenge for modern space flight. An estimated number of 700,000 objects larger than 1 cm and 170 million objects larger than 1mm are expected to reside in Earth orbits.
The video gives a closer look at the different regions used for space flight and explains how mitigation and removal measures could preserve future usage of these orbits.
Produced for the 7th European Conference on Space Debris, 18-21 April 2017.
Earth is surrounded by a cloud of space debris. This material ranges from dead satellites and rocket stages to fragments of material and even flecks of paint… and all this junk could do enormous damage to working satellites.
During 18–21 April, experts from around the world will meet at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre, Darmstadt, Germany for the 7th European Conference on Space Debris.
Delegates will discuss the extent of the debris problem and what can be done to ensure that satellites we rely on – providing us with services such as navigation, TV and weather forecasting – can operate safely in the future.
Talks will address acute issues like current practices in debris avoidance, novel concepts for removing debris, and the deployment of large constellations of several thousand satellites for telecommunications.
The conference will be opened by ESA Director General Jan Woerner and NASA’s former orbital debris chief scientist, Donald Kessler.
On 18 April and 21 April, live webcasts will cover the keynote address and press briefing, respectively. Details via esa.int/debris.
ESA’s proposed e.Deorbit mission plans to demonstrate the retrieval and disposal of a derelict satellite from low-Earth orbit. The mission needs to capture a massive, drifting object left in an uncertain state, which may well be tumbling rapidly. Several capture mechanisms are being studied in parallel – including casting a net.
Polish company SKA Polska won this new ESA Member State’s first competitive contract to design a prototype net gun that could be tested in microgravity on a parabolic flight. Wojtek Gołebiowski of SKA Polska brought it along to the Industry Days of ESA’s Clean Space initiative – tasked with safeguarding both terrestrial and orbital environments – in May 2016. The net gun is comparatively low power (because it was designed for weightlessness) but here he demonstrates how it works on some low-flying drones. Results from firing the net, which is multi-coloured to make it easier to track by cameras, are being used to sharpen the fidelity of software models of net behaviour.
ESA’s Clean Space initiative is studying an active debris removal mission called e.Deorbit, which will target an ESA-owned derelict satellite in low orbit, capture it, then safely burn it up in a controlled atmospheric reentry. e.Deorbit will be the world’s first active debris removal mission, and will provide an opportunity for European industries to showcase their technological capabilities to a global audience.
