Zero Debris Charter: Global Call for Space Sustainability

The Zero Debris Charter: A Collaborative Effort

Community-Driven Initiative: The Zero Debris Charter is a community-driven and community-building document facilitated by ESA's 'Protection of Space Assets' Accelerator. It was created and written by 40 space actors from diverse backgrounds, including industrial players of all sizes, government agencies, international organizations, universities, research centers, and non-profit foundations.

An Inclusive and Global Endeavor: Participation in the Zero Debris Charter initiative was not restricted to European space actors, making it a truly global endeavor. Through a series of co-development workshops and online consultations, the Charter's content was shaped by inputs from approximately 200 comments received from Europe and beyond.

12 Countries Joining the Zero Debris Charter

In an unprecedented move, 12 countries have pledged to adhere to the Zero Debris Charter, marking the first time that nations have subscribed at a national level to such an initiative. The countries that have joined ESA in this commitment are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. This widespread acceptance demonstrates the global recognition of the charter's importance and the collective resolve to tackle the space debris challenge.

The Need for a Sustainable Approach to Space Activities

The Growing Threat of Space Debris: Satellites are essential for various aspects of modern life, including space science, Earth observation, meteorology, climate research, telecommunication, navigation, and more. However, the increasing number of space debris objects orbiting Earth poses a significant threat to active satellites and future space endeavors. With more than 130 million pieces of debris larger than a millimetre in Earth's orbit, the risk of collisions and uncontrolled re-entries increases steadily.

Changing Behaviors in Space: The rapid growth of space activities, with more satellites launched in recent years than in the entire six decades of space exploration, has exacerbated the space debris problem. To ensure the long-term sustainability of space activities, it is crucial to adopt a new approach and change behaviors in space.

Guiding Principles and Ambitious Targets

The Zero Debris Charter establishes far-reaching guiding principles for space sustainability. It emphasizes the importance of transparent information sharing, space traffic coordination, and developing groundbreaking technologies for satellite end-of-life disposal, in-orbit servicing, and active debris removal.

One of the key objectives of the Charter is to define ambitious yet realistic technical targets for 2030. These targets include limiting a mission's probability of generating space debris to below 1 in 1,000 per object and achieving a 99% success rate for post-mission disposal, including through external means when necessary.

A Roadmap for Global Collaboration

The Zero Debris Charter has already succeeded in bringing together a diverse community of actors committed to advancing space safety and sustainability. This includes stakeholders from various sectors, sizes, and regions, fostering a collaborative approach to tackling the space debris challenge.

Driving Global Space Debris Mitigation and Remediation Efforts by establishing a precise and common vision of space sustainability for 2030, the Zero Debris Charter aims to drive global space debris mitigation and remediation efforts. It provides a framework for coordinated action and serves as a catalyst for the development of innovative technologies and practices to achieve the Zero Debris goals.

Implementation and Regulatory Collaboration

ESA's Commitment to Developing Groundbreaking Technologies to implement the Zero Debris Charter, ESA will focus on developing groundbreaking technologies for satellite end-of-life disposal, in-orbit servicing, and active debris removal. These technological advancements will be crucial in achieving the Charter's ambitious targets.

Collaboration with Regulatory Institutions recognizing the importance of regulatory aspects, ESA will work hand-in-hand with institutions responsible for establishing and enforcing space regulations. This collaboration aims to align the Charter's goals with existing and future regulatory frameworks, ensuring a comprehensive and coordinated approach to space sustainability.