Global experts agree action needed on space debris

25 April 2013 - There is an urgent need to remove orbiting space debris and to fly satellites in the future without creating new fragments, Europe's largest-ever space-debris conference announced today. The findings from the 6th European Conference on Space Debris were released during the concluding press briefing at ESA's European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany. Future space missions must be sustainable, including safe disposal when they are completed. The current levels mean that we must soon begin removing debris from orbit, with research and development urgently needed for pilot 'cleaning' missions. The removal of space debris is an environmental problem of global dimensions that must be assessed in an international context, including the UN. These results were presented to over 350 worldwide participants representing almost all the major national space agencies, industry, governments, academia and research institutes. Expert consensus on the need to act.