Clean the debris space andlaunch satellites that do not generate new fragments of space debrisit is urgently needed, according to experts participating in the largest space debris conference ever held in Europe.
As reflected in the conclusions of the 6th European Conference on Space Debris, lFuture space missions should be sustainable, and consider a safe way to dispose of the satellite once they are completed.. The amount of waste currently in orbit demands that actions to eliminate it begin soon, for which research and development is urgently needed inpilot cleanup missions. “Experts agree on the pressing need to start waste disposal activities now,” said Heiner Klinkrad, Director of ESA’s Office for Space Junk.
According to ESA, the degree of knowledge we now have about the problem of space debris is comparable to what we had twenty years ago about the need to tackle climate change. Thedisposal of space junk debris is an environmental problem of global dimensions, which must be approached in an international context that includes the United Nations.
In addition to providing daily benefits to citizens and the economy in general, the current infrastructure of satellite systems is of great value. The cost of replacing the around 1,000 satellites now in orbit is estimated at around € 100 billion. Losing these satellites would have an impact on the economy as a whole by several orders of magnitude. It would be a loss to society with serious consequences.
“The measures to prevent the generation of new waste, and to exorbitate dead satellites, are demanding from a technological point of view and potentially very expensive. But there is no alternative, if we want to preserve space as a resource ”, warns Klinkrad. The ultimate goal isprevent an onslaught of chain collisions for decades to come.
