With the increase in modern-day space activities, a new and unexpected danger has begun to emerge: space debris.
In the last two years, more satellites have been launched than in all six decades of space exploration. This means that there are millions of pieces of space debris flying around in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
Most space debris consists of man-made objects, such as pieces of spacecraft, parts of rockets, satellites that no longer work or explosions of orbiting objects flying through space at high speed.
Today, around 28,160 tracked objects remain in orbit, which are monitored by the US Space Surveillance Network.
Due to the speed and volume of debris in LEO, current and future space services, explorations and operations pose a safety risk to people and property in space and on Earth.
Most space debris moves quickly and can reach speeds of 30,000 kilometres per hour, almost seven times faster than a bullet.
In view of this reality, the Zero Debris initiative has been launched with the aim of significantly limiting the production of debris in Earth and lunar orbits by 2030 for all future missions, programmes and activities.
