Sustainability in Earth's orbit
Maintaining safe and secure operations for current and future missions, mitigating the problem of space debris and working towards a circular economy in space
Space hazards and how to deal with them
Ever since life formed on Earth, it has been exposed to hazards originating in space. We live close to an active star, in a Solar System filled with ancient and fast-moving space rocks, on a planet that is becoming increasingly surrounded by discarded satellites and their debris. Technologies advance at a rapid pace, and these days there is much we can do about asteroids, space weather and space debris. Coupled with ambitious sustainability goals, ESA’s space safety activities help ensure that Earth orbit remains safe, sustainable and accessible for future generations.
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Discover the space safety areas
Planetary Defence
Believe it or not, with enough time, an asteroid impact is something we can prevent.
Space Weather
What can we do about unpredictable solar outbursts that threaten infrastructure on Earth and life in space?
Space Debris
Space debris threatens our future in orbit, and all that depends on it. It's time to act.
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How to build a circular economy in space.
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Get the latest space safety news
Hera spies a half-hidden asteroid moonlet
Another early preview of the Didymos binary asteroid system from ESA’s Hera mission for planetary defence. Acquired from 56 km away, this image shows one face of the main 780-m-diameter Didymos asteroid. A small part of its 151-m-diameter Dimorphos moonlet is also visible, peeking out from near the top of Didymos.
Hera spacecraft in ‘rectangular orbit’ around target asteroids
The European Space Agency’s Hera mission for planetary defence has arrived at its target asteroids. Positioned just 30-25 km away from the binary Didymos system, the small-car-sized spacecraft has commenced its ‘early characterisation phase’ to gather key data on the asteroid pair.
Celebrating three years of the Zero Debris Charter
Three years after its publication, the Zero Debris Charter continues to unite a growing and global community around the goal of achieving a zero debris future. Celebrations at the 8th Summit for Space Sustainability in Brasília highlighted its progress, welcomed new signatories and reinforced the collective action needed to protect Earth’s orbits for future generations.
Meet Chicxu – the dino flying with ESA’s Hera asteroid mission!
This selfie taken by the European Space Agency’s Hera mission for planetary defence out in deep space shows the mission mascot riding with it: a sticker depicting the newly named Chixcu the dinosaur!
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ESA Space Safety Fleet.