European Space Agency and SpaceX in Talks to Address Growing Space Debris

The European Space Agency (ESA) is in discussions with SpaceX regarding the possibility of joining an international charter aimed at combating the increasing problem of space debris. ESA’s Director General, Josef Aschbacher, confirmed to Reuters that the agency is leading efforts to reduce the amount of debris resulting from past space missions, which poses significant risks to operational satellites.

Currently, approximately 110 countries and organizations have signed on to ESA’s Zero Debris charter, which seeks to eliminate the generation of new orbital waste by 2030. Aschbacher mentioned that while SpaceX has not yet committed to the charter, ongoing discussions are taking place. The importance of addressing space debris cannot be overstated, especially as SpaceX’s Starlink constellation constitutes about two-thirds of the active satellites in low Earth orbit.

The issue of space junk is critical, with nearly 18,900 pieces of trackable debris in orbit, a problem exacerbated by satellite collisions and missile tests. Notably, China and Amazon are also launching their satellite constellations, further complicating the landscape of low Earth orbit.

Aschbacher emphasized the collaborative nature of the charter, stating, “We are not a regulatory body; we are a technical space agency,” and expressed encouragement at the growing participation of nations and entities in tackling this pressing issue.