Harwell campus autonomous shuttle

A striking collection of photographs that tells the story surrounding the millions of human-made fragments trapped in Earth’s orbit is on show in London.

The ‘Our Fragile Space’ exhibit – created by renowned space industry photographer Max Alexander – highlights the vital role satellites play in everyday life and the measures taken by ESA to promote the responsible use of their orbital environment.

To inform the exhibition, Alexander embarked on a year-long expedition, travelling to rocket launches, observatories, and other space facilities in Europe and the US.

During this journey he visited each of ESA’s facilities in Europe, including its European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT), which is based at Harwell campus. 

This photos features a driverless shuttle that uses integrated 5G and satellite communications to transport people around the campus. 

Communications is just one example of the many vital services satellites provide to people on Earth

“On my travels, it quickly became apparent to me that, to help people understand the state of our near-space environment, I had to tell the wider story of how space has become intertwined with our everyday lives,” says Alexander.