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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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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Hera’s first close-up view of Didymos asteroids
The European Space Agency’s Hera mission for planetary defence has acquired its first close-up of the Didymos binary asteroid system. NASA’s DART spacecraft impacted the smaller Dimorphos asteroid on 26 September 2022 – but this image gives a novel view of its adjacent parent asteroid.
10 asteroid mysteries that Hera will explore
Hera, the European Space Agency’s first mission for planetary defence, arrives at its target body this month, with the goal of gathering precious data on the kinetic impact method of asteroid deflection – while also attempting to solve multiple scientific enigmas.
First light: Hera resolves two asteroids instead of one
The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft for planetary defence has resolved its two target asteroids separately for the very first time, revealing the binary nature of the Didymos system, currently some 197 million km away from Earth.
Keeping the sky dark and quiet
For thousands of years, the night sky has inspired humanity, guided explorers and helped scientists unlock the mysteries of the Universe. As the number of satellites in orbit grows, their reflected light and radio frequency interference become a challenge for both professional astronomy and simple stargazing.
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ESA Space Safety Fleet.