Space debris consist of defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, and fragments from collisions. They poses a significant threat to current and future space missions because these objects travel at very high velocities, which makes even small debris capable of causing catastrophic damage to active spacecrafts.

This risk jeopardizes crewed missions, endangers satellites essential for communication, navigation, and Earth observation, and can lead to a cascading effect known as the Kessler Syndrome, where collisions generate more debris, exponentially increasing the threat.

Mitigation strategies:

Preventive Measures:

• Designing satellites with end-of-life disposal plans:
  • Deorbiting into Earth’s atmosphere
  • Moving to a graveyard orbit
• Enforcing international guidelines and regulations:
  • Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) guidelines must be operationalised

Active Measures:

• Removing existing debris:
  • Deploying space tugs to capture and deorbit large debris
  • Using nets or harpoons to collect fragments
  • Employing lasers to nudge debris into decaying orbits
• Supporting initiatives like:
  • European Space Agency’s ClearSpace-1
  • NASA’s debris-tracking programs

Thus, these efforts highlight the collaborative global approach needed to address the growing challenge of space debris.