Managing the Risks Associated with Space Debris

Abstract

AbstractHuman activities in the outer space domain serve a myriad of useful purposes. Scientific endeavours such as the exploration of the solar system, human spaceflight and the study of celestial phenomena have yielded knowledge and insights about our place in the universe. In addition to these scientific pursuits, having an active presence in outer space also imparts a number of commercial, technological and industrial benefits for States and corporations alike. This means that the use of outer space has also enabled the development of a space industry and space economy. This encompasses the organisations, activities and processes that produce objects intended to go into an orbit around the Earth and which provide services that are accessed and consumed by end-users on Earth. Space industry organisations, activities, processes and objects are broadly categorized as either civilian or military in nature. However, in reality the distinction between the two can become blurred. This is because the products and services derived from space industry technologies typically have use and application in both civilian and military settings (European Commission [EC], 2018). Both civilian and military space activities have the potential to create junk in the course of their space operations. The junk that is generated by these activities in outer space is known as space debris. Space debris includes things like discarded launch vehicle stages, end-of-life satellites, as well as the fragments of these objects created through collision events. The largest collection of space debris resides in those orbits closest to the Earth. This means that large volumes of junk are present in those regions where most space activities occur. This poses a serious threat to the safety and integrity of existing and future space operations as well as the sustainability of the space environment.