Zero Debris

Space debris is defined as “All non-functional, human-made objects, including no longer functioning spacecraft or fragments of them, in orbit or reentering Earth's atmosphere.”

Since the start of the space age in 1957, humankind has launched almost 50 thousand tonnes of material into space. Some of that has returned, but today about 10 thousand tonnes remain in orbit and on average one object returns to Earth every week, uncontrolled.

These numbers are rapidly increasing. More satellites have been launched in the last two years than the entire six decades of space exploration. Earth's space environment is now filled with millions of bits of fast-moving debris, threatening our future in space. A collision with a 1 cm particle travelling 10 km/s (of which there are about a million in orbit) releases the same energy as a small car crashing at 40 km/h.

If current behaviours and trends in orbit continue, crucial orbital regions will become entirely unusable. It’s time to act.

How much debris is it OK to create? Ideally, zero debris.

Building on a decade of ESA-wide collaborative work, the Agency has taken the lead in space sustainability by introducing the ‘Zero Debris approach’: ESA's bold goal to significantly limit the production of debris in Earth and Lunar orbits by 2030 for all future missions, programmes and activities.

“We are seeing a dramatically increased use of space, but still insufficient technology to prevent the risks that follow. Our aim to become debris neutral in just a few years will require clearing precious Earth orbits once a mission is complete, and if the mission fails to do this, it must be actively removed by dedicated vehicles,” explains Holger Krag, ESA's Head of Space Safety.

“We are aiming for rules that compare to every national park on Earth – what you bring in you must take with you when you leave”.

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