Space Safety Centre decorations

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 Space Safety Centre in Germany. This image features targets used in hypervelocity impact tests, which are now displayed at the centre.