The European Space Agency (ESA) finalized its Zero Debris Charter, releasing the document this week during the 2023 Space Summit in Seville, Spain. The non-binding charter calls participants to stop generating space debris by 2030
The European Space Agency (ESA) has a goal to significantly limit the production of debris in Earth and Lunar orbits by 2030. This is known as the “Zero Debris approach“. The goal is that ESA missions entering design phase after 2030 will not leave behind any significant debris objects in orbit.
The ESA’s Zero Debris approach includes eight recommendations:
- Guarantee successful disposal
- Improve orbital clearance
- Avoid in-orbit collisions
- Avoid internal break-ups
- Prevent the intentional release of space debris
- Improve on-ground casualty risk assessment
- Guarantee Dark and Quiet skies
The ESA released a non-binding charter during the 2023 Space Summit in Seville, Spain. The charter calls participants to stop generating space debris by 2030. The ESA is inviting other space companies and organizations to sign the charter, with signing ceremonies scheduled for the first half of 2024.
Other initiatives to minimize space debris include:
- Project NETRA An early warning system by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to detect debris and hazards to Indian satellites
- ISRO System for Safe and Sustainable Operations Management (IS4OM) Established in 2022 to monitor objects posing collision threats and mitigate the risk posed by space debris
- ClearSpace-1 A world-first mission to remove a debris from Earth orbit
- RemoveDEBRIS An experimental satellite designed and built by Airbus’ Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) subsidiary
- United States Government Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices (ODMSP) Established in 2001 to address the increase in orbital debris in the near-Earth space environment
The 25-year rule for space debris is a general guideline that satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO) must deorbit or be placed in graveyard orbit within 25 years after the completion of their mission. The rule is intended to minimize the risk of collisions that would create orbital debris and increase the likelihood of space communication failures.
The Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee published guidelines for mitigating orbital debris in 2007. The FCC also adopted a rule in 2022 that would require satellite operators to dispose of their satellites within five years of mission completion.
The Zero Debris Charter is a non-binding agreement that calls for participants to stop creating space debris by 2030. The charter is intended to bring together a wide range of space actors around the world with the goal of creating no more debris by 2030. The charter aims to bridge previous ESA initiatives to shape global consensus on space sustainability.
The ESA’s corporate policy and technical requirements on Space Debris Mitigation are focused on the minimization of the risk associated with:
- In-orbit Space Debris Mitigation for space sustainability
- Re-entry Safety for protection of human population on-ground
The ESA recommends that satellites and orbital stages be commanded to reenter Earth’s atmosphere within 25 years of mission completion, if their deployment orbit altitude is below 2000 km (in the LEO region).
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