Space Debris: Working toward safe and sustainable use of space
Since the advent of astronautics in 1957, human activities in space have generated significant orbital pollution.
Today, for example, out of the 12,500 large objects still orbiting Earth, only 700 are actually operating; the rest are dead satellites, spent launcher stages or big fragments from explosions or collisions.
Different kinds of debris objects in space
And these figures do not include the many small debris objects out there:
it is estimated there are some 300,000 debris objects larger than 1 cm, and 35 million larger than 1 mm.
Powerful radar and telescopes keep constant track of these debris and are discovering new objects all the time.
The debris population is obviously higher in “useful” orbits where a lot of spacecraft are operating.
The debris population is obviously higher in “useful” orbits where a lot of spacecraft are operating.
Space debris is reaching worrying proportions and it is vital that we act now to keep space clean and useable for future generations.
CNES, alongside the world’s other leading space agencies, has been working to achieve this aim for more than a decade.
CNES, alongside the world’s other leading space agencies, has been working to achieve this aim for more than a decade.
Last updated : March 2009
