{"id":34124,"date":"2023-06-23T10:31:07","date_gmt":"2023-06-23T09:31:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=34124"},"modified":"2023-06-23T10:31:07","modified_gmt":"2023-06-23T09:31:07","slug":"can-ambitious-targets-removing-space-junk-met","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/can-ambitious-targets-removing-space-junk-met\/34124\/","title":{"rendered":"Can ambitious targets for removing space junk be met?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A set of guidelines which are targeted at removing space junk within the next five years has been released by the World Economic Forum (WEF).<\/h2>\n

The plans for removing space junk include working with major satellite operators to reduce the creation of orbital debris. The guidelines state<\/a> this can be done by limiting the lifetime of satellites in orbit after they have completed their missions and improving coordination among operators.<\/p>\n

It will also be important to ensure policymakers, investors, and customers understand that the sector must be more mindful and careful about operating in space.<\/p>\n

World leaders will need to adopt more ambitious and sustainable approaches<\/a> with regard to a mission\u2019s operations, such as how to perform and communicate debris avoidance manoeuvres with other missions nearby and how to plan for end-of-life operations within certain safety levels.<\/p>\n

The dangers of space debris<\/h3>\n

Space-related technologies are pivotal to the development of society. This expansion has allowed people in remote areas to access the internet and powered tech innovations like connected cars.<\/p>\n

We can better monitor and understand our changing climate thanks to improved and more numerous Earth observation satellites.<\/p>\n

However, satellites are the biggest cause of orbital debris, and removing space junk from the atmosphere is a huge challenge.<\/p>\n

\"Satellite,Is,Orbiting,Around,The,Earth.,Elements,Of,This,Image\"
\u00a9 shutterstock\/Tatiana Shepeleva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are around one million pieces of large debris circulating the atmosphere. They travel several times faster than a bullet, and a collision between the debris or with active satellites could be devastating, destroying entire missions or creating large new debris fields.<\/p>\n

How can we start removing space junk?<\/h3>\n

The WEF guidelines set ambitious goals, including specific percentages for post-mission disposal success rates and a target number of years an object should remain in orbit at the end of its life.<\/p>\n

Kai-Uwe Schrogl, Special Advisor for Political Affairs at the European Space Agency, commented: \u201cThese recommendations are an important step for the space sector and which will effectively support the eventual goal of Zero Debris.\u201d<\/p>\n

An updated version of previous guidelines<\/a>, the document also states we can start removing space junk by:<\/p>\n