The Zero Debris Charter aims to become debris neutral by 2030, first unveiled at the ESA Space Summit in Seville in November 2023.
For the first time, countries have committed at the national level, positioning Europe as a leader in clean space initiatives. Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom have pledged to adhere to the charter. Over 100 organizations are expected to sign soon.
"The Zero Debris Charter signals Europe's unwavering commitment to be a global leader on space debris mitigation and remediation, fostering collective action of a large community of space actors from all around the world," says Quentin Verspieren, Protect Accelerator and Space Safety Programme Coordinator at ESA. "The impact of the promise made today by these twelve countries on the sustainability of our future activities in space will be immense."
"ESA has committed to a Zero Debris approach, driving a comprehensive internal transformation towards more sustainable practices," says Holger Krag, Head of Space Safety at ESA. "As part of its efforts ESA has facilitated the community-led development of the Zero Debris Charter, a source of inspiration uniting many of our partners around the world behind a common goal."
ESA estimates there are currently more than one million pieces of space debris larger than one cm in Earth orbit, each capable of causing significant damage to space assets. Without quick and decisive action, the growth of this debris will pose an increasing hazard to satellites and astronauts, potentially rendering some orbits unusable.
At the 2022 Ministerial Conference, ESA was encouraged by Member States to implement "a Zero Debris approach for its missions; and to encourage partners and other actors to pursue similar paths, thereby collectively putting Europe at the forefront of sustainability on Earth and in space, while preserving the competitiveness of its industry."
ESA's Zero Debris approach is a large-scale revision of its internal space debris mitigation requirements to become debris-neutral by 2030. This approach will rely on debris mitigation and remediation technology developed in ESA's Space Safety Programme.
The Zero Debris Charter is a broader initiative for the global space community, facilitated by ESA's 'Protection of Space Assets' Accelerator and developed by over 40 space actors. The Charter includes guiding principles and ambitious targets to achieve the goal of Zero Debris.
Since its launch at ESA's Space Summit in Seville, more than 100 organizations, including national space agencies, satellite manufacturers, space start-ups, and astronomical societies, have confirmed their intent to sign.
The first industry, academic partners, and NGOs are expected to sign the Zero Debris Charter at the ILA Berlin air show on June 6.
Related Links
Space Debris at ESA
Zero Debris Charter
Space Technology News - Applications and Research
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