In Darmstadt, Germany, the 6th annual European Conference On Space Debris will be held this week. According to the organization, since 1957 there are more than 170 million objects of debris orbiting the earth. Of these 170 million, over 20,000 are close to a foot long. The conference will also discuss space surveillance, debris mediation, re-entry risk assessments, debris shielding and a renewal of debris removal policies.
The renewed assessment of the space debris comes on the heels of the recent Antares rocket and satellite launch. The Antares rocket launched three satellites into space the size of coffee cups. If one of these were to collide with a larger object, any information would be lost. The space debris could be harmful if it came into contact with an entity sent into space.
By tracking the debris and devising a plan to remove the debris, the risk assessment for outside impact would plummet. In the last five years there have been several high profile impacts with space debris. These include a United States satellite colliding with a defunct Russian satellite in 2009. Some of the debris can travel at speeds of upwards of 15,000 mph and could prove quite harmful to items that come into contact.
The conference will see a coordinated effort put forth by over 300 leading analysts from across the globe. These include members of the State Department, lawyers, academics, researchers and engineers. Though there is no set timetable or plan for removal of debris, the conference will no doubt continue to spark discussion on how to avoid a greater disaster.
In a prepared statement the ECOSD noted that "space debris mitigation measures, if properly implemented by spacecraft designers and mission operators, can curtail the growth rate of the debris population. Active debris removal, however, has been shown to be necessary to reverse the debris increase."
