Earth’s orbit is getting crowded — and dangerously so. Over the last several decades, thousands of satellites, spent rocket stages, fragments from explosions and collisions, and even tiny shavings of paint have amassed around our planet.
According to space agencies, there are well over a million pieces of debris larger than 1 cm in orbit — each capable of damaging or destroying a functioning spacecraft if struck at orbital speeds of up to 28,000 km/h.
Without action, this accumulation risks triggering cascading collisions, a scenario known as Kessler Syndrome, which could render vital orbital regions increasingly unusable for communications, Earth observation, scientific research, and crewed spaceflight.
The international framework: Guidelines, agreements, and coordinated policy
The problem of space debris is inherently global and transnational — debris generated by one nation can imperil satellites operated by another.
In response, an international framework of guidelines and cooperative bodies has grown over the past three decades.
The Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC), comprising 13 space agencies and associate members, has produced widely recognised mitigation standards recommending debris-reducing practices across the lifecycle of spacecraft and rocket stages.
Additionally, the UN’s Guidelines for the Long-term Sustainability (LTS) of Outer Space Activities — though voluntary — unify spacefaring states around core principles like avoiding the release of mission-related objects and planning end-of-life disposal for satellites. These soft law norms help shape national regulations and industry practice.
The European Space Agency (ESA) Zero Debris Charter — signed by over 40 organisations — further extends this cooperation, encouraging a shared commitment to reducing debris generation and the pursuit of sustainable operations.
Pioneering space debris removal missions
International and commercial efforts are finally moving beyond mitigation into active debris removal (ADR) — the technologies needed to physically clear objects from orbit.
One of the most high-profile efforts is ClearSpace-1, an ESA mission slated to launch later this decade. It aims to rendezvous with and remove a defunct payload adapter from orbit using a servicer spacecraft equipped with robotic arms, demonstrating rendezvous, capture, and deorbit technology.
Alongside ClearSpace-1, technology demonstrators such as RemoveDEBRIS — a collaborative project from the University of Surrey and the European Commission — have successfully tested nets, harpoons, and deployable drag sails to capture and deorbit test targets, advancing essential ADR techniques.
Commercial ventures are also progressing. For example, Astroscale’s ADRAS-J mission — part of Japan’s commercial debris removal demonstration — is poised to approach and inspect an upper-stage rocket body in orbit, paving the way for future capture and deorbit services.
National strategies and space agency roadmaps
Individual nations and space agencies are strengthening their strategic frameworks to address debris risks:
- NASA has long championed space debris mitigation and research, regularly updating its debris environment models and proposing novel remediation pathways that include nudging large objects to reduce collision risk and removing small debris with lasers.
- ESA is pursuing a bold Zero Debris approach aiming to limit future debris production and integrate debris management into mission design by 2030, including reducing acceptable lifetime orbital residence and supporting active removal demonstrations.
- Japan is taking both technological and diplomatic leadership, exploring regulatory frameworks and building a coalition of nations to shape international debris-removal rules, with concrete proposals expected in global forums soon.
National space agencies also increasingly invest in space situational awareness (SSA) — tracking and predicting space debris movement — which is vital for collision avoidance and safe satellite operations.
Cutting-edge technologies: Robotics, lasers and novel removal concepts
Beyond current missions, ambitious technologies are under exploration to scale spacedebris removal.
Robotic rendezvous and capture systems — whether nets, claws, magnets, or autonomous servicers — are being refined for reliability in the harsh orbital environment.
Laser technologies are being studied as a way to gently ‘nudge’ small debris into decaying orbits without physical contact, potentially mitigating risks from fragments too small for traditional capture.
On the design side, agencies are promoting ‘design for demise’ spacecraft that disintegrate more completely upon reentry, reducing the risk of surviving debris reaching Earth’s surface.
Public-private partnerships and the commercial cleanup economy
Addressing space debris is not only a public mission — the private sector is stepping up with solutions that meet both sustainability and economic goals.
Companies like Astroscale and ClearSpace are moving toward commercial ADR services that satellite operators can purchase, creating a nascent industry around in-orbit servicing and sustainability.
Governments catalyse this ecosystem with funding initiatives and partnerships that de-risk early technology development, while competitions and challenges (such as NASA’s Detect, Track and Remediate competitions) spur innovation in tracking and remediation technologies.
Challenges ahead
Despite progress, major challenges remain. Orbital operations are governed by treaties that do not explicitly address space debris ownership or consent for removal, creating legal ambiguity for ADR missions involving objects launched by other states.
Additionally, tracking the full spectrum of debris — especially objects smaller than 1 cm — remains technically difficult but essential for safety.
Coordinating thousands of new satellite launches (including mega-constellations) with robust mitigation practices requires stronger international standards and enforcement mechanisms.
And while ADR demonstrations show promise, scaling removal to the volumes needed to stabilise the orbital environment will demand sustained investment, innovative propulsion and rendezvous technology, and global coordination.
A shared commitment to a sustainable orbital future
Space has become indispensable to modern life — powering communications, navigation, weather forecasting, scientific discovery and more.
Protecting this shared environment from the growing threat of debris requires a multifaceted global response.
Through international cooperation, national strategies, emerging technologies, and partnerships between governments and industry, the world is moving toward a future where space is used responsibly and sustainably — ensuring that the orbits of Earth remain safe and accessible for generations to come.
