Space Debris: a rising threat?

As we gaze at the beautiful night sky, we do not only see stars and planets but also may observe more and more man-made satellites. These satellites can reflect sunlight, disrupt our view of the starry sky and even disturb Earth-based observations of the night sky. But not only that. The Kessler Syndrome, a hypothesized cascade of collisions that could exponentially increase the amount of debris, potentially inhibits space travel and satellite operations for a long time.

At this seminar, we learn about the (hidden) dangers of space pollution, satellite safety and innovative solutions for an organized, controlled and sustainable use of the space around Earth. We are thrilled to have two very distinct speakers that share their great knowledge with us on this critical topic.

Join us for the next Space Café event, on May 23rd, 2024, at 14:00. This event will be in hybrid mode,  on-site at Irchel campus room Y10-E-36 and per Zoom. Please register at the bottom of the page. 

Speaker 1:

Luc Piguet is the CEO and Co-Founder of ClearSpace, a ground-breaking initiative based in Switzerland to clear up Space debris. ClearSpace provides in-orbit services to support institutions and commercial operators in accomplishing their space missions safely and sustainably. Luc found the company in 2018 with the vision to create a new space business model by shaping space sustainability. With his genuine interests in micro-electronics, he studied at HEIG-VD, at EPFL for a master of Scienece, Electrical and Electronics Engineering and at Standford University Graduate School of Business for an executive business program. He also has a seat at ESA NewSpace Advisory Board (NAB), composed of industrial representatives advising ESA Director General on the required evaluation of the Agency’s role and approach and on the set-up of measures and policies to stimulate a commercial European space sector. His forward-thinking mindset and his leadership have proven his success in global business, especially Latin America and Europe regions. 

Talk  :

"In-orbit services and how we can optimize commercial and environmental benefits from space"

Speaker 2: 

Prof. Dr. Thomas Schildknecht is the director of the Swiss Optical Ground Station and Geodynamics Observatory Zimmerwald, and is leading the Optical Astronomy Group of the Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern, Switzerland. His research focuses on astrodynamics and optical
survey observations, with particular emphasis on space debris, space safety, and sustainability. At both, national and global level, he has served and continues to serve in numerous technical and policy-making committees.

Talk :

"Environmental Challenges: Space Debris, Megaconstellations, and the Preservation of our Night Sky".

The proliferation of space debris and the increased probability of collisions and interference raise concerns about the long-term sustainability of space activities, particularly in the low-Earth orbit and in the geostationary orbit environments. During recent years the number of satellites launched to space increased by orders of magnitude in particular due to costs reductions enabled by miniaturization and rideshare launch opportunities, as well as due to the deployment of so-called megaconstellations by private actors. In order to allow for safe operations in near-Earth space, and to ensure sustainable use of this unique resource, numerous measures are urgently needed. Observing and characterizing space objects, and in particular the space debris population, in different orbit regions is the foundation to devise efficient measure to ensure space safety and the long-term sustainability of outer space activities.
Constellations of tens of thousands of satellites are also a concern to astronomers as many hundreds of bright moving dots will pollute the night sky at any time and at any place on Earth – even for naked eye observers the pristine night sky may be gone forever.

More about Space Café event series.