Global experts agree action needed on space debris Global experts agree action needed on space debris Concept for future deorbit mission 25 April 2013 There is an urgent need to remove orbiting space debris and to fly satellites in the future without creating new fragments, Europe’s largest-ever space-debris conference announced today. The findings from the 6th European Conference on Space Debris were released during the concluding press briefing at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany. Future space missions must be sustainable, including safe disposal when they are completed. Watch media briefing: Findings of the 6th European Conference on Space Debris, 25 April 2013, ESA/ESOC The removal of space debris is an environmental problem of global dimensions that must be assessed in an international context, including the UN. These results were presented to over 350 worldwide participants representing almost all the major national space agencies, industry, governments, academia and research institutes.
La durabilité des activités spatiales, menacée par la multiplication des déchets orbitaux Selon les experts réunis cette semaine à Darmstadt en Allemagne dans le cadre de la 6e Conférence Européenne sur les débris spatiaux, les agences spatiales devront rapidement donner leur accord pour financer l’élimination chaque année de 5 à 10 gros débris en orbite basse (satellites ou étages supérieurs de fusée) si elles désirent éviter que le rideau ne tombe – peut-être définitivement – sur les rêves d’exploration de l’humanité. L’idée que l’ébouage spatial et le nettoyage des orbites les plus polluées (entre 700 et 1 100 km) sont une affaire sérieuse fait ainsi son chemin jusque dans les pages de notre presse nationale. Loading... Reste que même les agences les plus proactives dans ce domaine, celles ayant accepté la limite des 25 ans, continuent pour partie de lancer des satellites et des fusées qui resteront en orbite une fois leur mission terminée. La règle a beau exister, mais synonyme de surcoûts, elle n’est pas toujours respectée. Images: ESA
makes space debris software available online / Space Debris / Operations ESA makes space debris software available online Space debris objects in orbit 25 June 2014 A new website will enable rapid updates for experts using ESA’s suite of space-debris software tools to perform risk assessment and analysis of debris mitigation actions for missions currently in orbit and to be better prepared for future ones. Researchers using ESA’s space-debris software tools can now download the newest versions as well as access updates and technical support via a dedicated website, the Space Debris User Portal. The site provides a one-stop shop to download the MASTER and DRAMA software packages and an access point to the DISCOS database, each of which enables different aspects of space debris to be studied and analysed. The site offers the following services: Space debris workshop at ESOC The new site was unveiled during a workshop held at ESA’s ESOC operations centre in Darmstadt, Germany, this week. Centre of space debris excellence More information on space debris