TAG: GS 2: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
THE CONTEXT: On May 22, twelve nations solidified their commitment to the long-term sustainability of human activities in Earth’s orbit by signing the Zero Debris Charter at the European Space Agency (ESA)/European Union Space Council.
EXPLANATION:
- In addition to these twelve countries, the European Space Agency also signed the charter as an International Organisation, marking a significant milestone in the global effort to address space debris.
Zero Debris Charter
- The Zero Debris Charter, unveiled at the ESA Space Summit in Seville in November 2023, aims to make space activities debris-neutral by 2030.
- This ambitious goal seeks to mitigate the growing problem of space debris, which poses a significant threat to satellites, astronauts, and the usability of Earth’s orbits.
- The Zero Debris Charter is not just an ESA initiative; it is a broader community-driven and community-building effort.
- It is facilitated by ESA’s Protection of Space Assets Accelerator.
- The charter was collaboratively developed by more than 40 space actors.
- It contains high-level guiding principles and ambitious, jointly defined targets to enable the global space community to achieve the goal of Zero Debris.
- The twelve countries that signed the charter include Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
- This marks the first instance of countries subscribing to the charter at a national level, demonstrating widespread international support for the initiative.
- In addition to the governmental signatories, over 100 organizations have pledged to sign the Zero Debris Charter in the coming months.
- The first industry and academic partners, as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), are expected to sign the charter at the ILA Berlin Air Show on June 6.
High-Level Guiding Principles
- The guiding principles of the Zero Debris Charter focus on:
- Prevention: Implementing stringent measures to prevent the creation of new space debris.
- Remediation: Developing technologies and strategies to remove existing debris from orbit.
- Collaboration: Fostering international cooperation and coordination among space-faring nations and organizations.
- Sustainability: Ensuring that all future space activities are conducted in a sustainable manner, minimizing their impact on the orbital environment.
Ambitious Targets
- The charter sets ambitious targets for the space community, including:
- Debris Neutrality by 2030: Achieving a state where space activities do not contribute to the growth of space debris.
- Advanced Mitigation Technologies: Developing and deploying technologies that can actively remove debris from orbit.
- International Standards: Establishing and adhering to international standards for debris mitigation and management.
Challenge of Space Debris
- ESA estimates that there are currently over one million pieces of space debris larger than one centimeter in Earth’s orbit.
- Each of these objects is capable of causing catastrophic damage to space assets.
- Without quick and decisive action to improve the sustainability of space activities, the exponential growth of space debris could render some orbits entirely unusable.
- This growing debris population presents an ever-increasing hazard to operational satellites and manned space missions.
ESA’s Zero Debris Approach
- The Zero Debris approach is a large-scale revision of ESA’s internal space debris mitigation requirements, aimed at achieving debris-neutrality by 2030.
- This approach involves the development and implementation of advanced debris mitigation and remediation technologies through ESA’s Space Safety Programme.
- These technologies are essential for preventing the generation of new debris and for removing existing debris from orbit.
SOURCE: https://www.unmannedairspace.info/latest-news-and-information/nations-sign-esas-zero-debris-charter/
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