Space debris refers to man-made objects in Earth orbit that no longer serve a useful purpose. It includes abandoned satellites, fragments from spacecraft explosions, and launch vehicle stages. The amount of space debris is increasing as space exploration expands, raising the likelihood of collisions that produce additional debris. Efforts to mitigate the growth of space debris include tracking objects, predicting orbits, collision avoidance maneuvers, and developing better spacecraft designs and remediation strategies. International conferences discuss policies and regulations to address the ethics of space pollution and ensure the sustainability of space activities.

1. Space Debris
Roberta Farrington

2. Man-made
Space Debris
• Abandoned satellites
• Space craft explosions
• Launch releases
• Department of Defense
detects the objects
• Orbit Earth at high
velocities

3. Collisions
• Increasing space exploration will increase the probability for
collisions
• Creates more debris
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-d8BJ2iljc

4. Mitigation
NASA maneuver warning for Space Station
7th European Conference on Space Debris (April 18-21)
Radar, optical, & in-situ measurements
Orbit prediction & determination
Operational collision avoidance
Debris environment modeling
Debris mitigation techniques
Active removal & remediation
Policies & regulations
Possible solutions:
http://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/content/view/embedjw/471137

5. Discussion
Ethics of Space Pollution
Where do we draw the line
on what we leave in space?
Would it be okay to get rid
of waste on Earth by
dumping it in space?
Policy Approach
Better spacecraft designs
Remediation strategies

6. Works Cited
http://www.space.com/16518-space-junk.html
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Operations/Space_
Debris/About_space_debris
https://conference.sdo.esoc.esa.int/page/welcome
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/news/o
rbital_debris.html