As the use of space accelerates, so too does the risk of orbital debris — a pressing threat to communications, navigation and other technologies underpinning life on Earth.
An estimated 131 million pieces of satellites and rockets larger than a millimeter are currently in orbit, traveling at speeds of up to 28,100 kilometers per hour.
These fragments threaten not only active satellites but also human activity in space. Just one collision increases the probability of further collisions, creating even more debris in a dangerous cascade effect known as the Kessler Syndrome.
According to the Space Foundation, the total mass brought to orbit soared by 40% last year to 1.9 million kilograms.
The nonprofit’s research shows 259 total launches in 2024 — an average of one every 34 hours, five hours more frequently than in 2023. SpaceX alone accounted for 152 of those missions, deploying customer spacecraft and nearly 2,000 satellites for its sprawling Starlink broadband constellation in low Earth orbit (LEO).
Currently, more than two-thirds of an estimated 9,000 active satellites in orbit are Starlink’s, but SpaceX isn’t the only megaconstellation in town. Amazon, China and others eager to join the fray are fast coming on the horizon.
Although multiple efforts are underway to help space sustainability keep pace with this rapid expansion, progress remains slow. Geopolitical tensions and the absence of enforcement mechanisms continue to hinder progress, while anti-satellite tests and other actions are also exacerbating the problem.
“If we don’t radically rethink how we approach our use of space, we’ll leave behind a permanent toxic trail of debris that chokes our future,” said Moriba Jah, an associate professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Austin and chief scientific adviser at Privateer, a space situational awareness company.
“A circular space economy isn’t just a nice idea — it’s our only chance to avoid an irreversible mess in orbit. Just like we’ve polluted our oceans with thoughtless waste, governments are now letting corporations do the same in space, all while pretending it’s someone else’s problem.”
Here are the four areas where leaders are working to make progress:
Technological innovation
The European Space Agency is helping lead the charge on the technological front with its Clean Space program.
The program supports the development of debris removal capabilities such as the ClearSpace-1 mission, which plans to capture and de-orbit a defunct satellite to demonstrate active debris removal.
Japan-based Astroscale has also advanced debris-cleaning technologies with government-backed projects like ELSA-d, or End-of-Life Service by Astroscale — demonstration, which showed off magnetic capture capabilities in LEO in 2021.
Astroscale’s follow-up mission, ELSA-M (for multiple), aims to lay the groundwork for large-scale commercial cleanup operations in congested orbits, using a servicer that could de-orbit more than one piece of space junk during a single mission.
Elsewhere in the space industry, SpaceX’s reusable Falcon 9 rockets have revolutionized launch costs and waste reduction.
And many satellite operators are also deploying increasingly advanced space traffic coordination tools, leveraging machine learning algorithms and ground-based tracking systems that help predict and avoid collisions with greater accuracy.
Policy and governance
Policymakers are working through global forums such as the United Nations’ Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) to establish shared frameworks for sustainable space operations. COPUOS has introduced voluntary guidelines, including best practices for satellite design and collision avoidance.
However, like many measures overviewed here, these guidelines lack enforceability, and discussions around legally binding treaties have yet to yield tangible results.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN agency managing orbit positions and frequency bands, indirectly helps reduce risks by guarding against congestion. But its remit is also limited, leaving a gap in broader space debris management.
To accelerate action, an international group of scientists and other experts proposed in a Jan. 9 report adding space sustainability as a UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).
The initiative, building on SDG 14 (focused on ocean conservation), aims to integrate space activities into a global sustainability framework.
Report co-author Melissa Quinn, general manager of international business at California-based space tracking and analytics company Slingshot Aerospace, is optimistic that adding space sustainability to the UN’s 17 SDGs could provide a turning point for policymakers.
“By framing orbital sustainability as an extension of global environmental and societal priorities, SDG18 could attract wider backing,” she said.
“The focus on lessons from marine debris management also provides a practical and relatable foundation for building momentum. Moreover, the inclusion of a dedicated SDG would embed space sustainability into global development agendas, ensuring it receives sustained attention and resources.”
That said, while existing SDGs have attracted broad international support since the UN adopted them in 2015 — they range from ending poverty and hunger to combating climate change — progress has been uneven. Most of the goals have targets for 2030 but the UN recently said nearly half are showing minimal or moderate advancement.
Industry practices
SpaceX, OneWeb and other private constellation operators have made great strides in implementing satellite end-of-life protocols to ensure responsible de-orbiting.
Collaborations between commercial entities and governments are also helping to advance sustainability. For example, partnerships between Astroscale and national space agencies aim to bridge the gap between technology development and policy implementation.
“Governments provide frameworks, policies and missions, while the commercial sector offers agility, innovation and technical expertise,” said Becky Yoder, senior vice president of finance and business operations at Astroscale’s U.S. division.
“Collaboration between the two ensures policy-driven technologies, supportive regulations, and cutting-edge solutions, fostering a safe, secure and sustainable space environment for future generations.”
More broadly, industry-led initiatives, such as the World Economic Forum’s Space Sustainability Rating (SSR), aim to incentivize sustainable practices by evaluating operators on debris mitigation, collision risk reduction and transparency.
Public awareness and advocacy
Advocacy groups such as the Secure World Foundation are campaigning for greater accountability and transparency in space operations. These organizations provide educational resources and host forums to foster dialogue among stakeholders, emphasizing the need for collaboration across sectors and nations.
In recent years, several public-facing campaigns have drawn attention to space sustainability. Various online petitions have mobilized public support, urging governments and corporations to prioritize responsible space practices. These grassroots efforts highlight the role of public pressure in shaping policy and industry behavior.
In August, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund launched a public petition urging a halt to LEO satellite internet launches until comprehensive environmental reviews are conducted.
The petition was accompanied by a report from the nonprofit highlighting the risks of both uncontrolled orbital debris and the environmental impact of satellites re-entering the atmosphere as planned at the end of their mission.
It advocates for satellite plans to require reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) — a 1969 law mandating federal agencies assess the environmental impacts of their actions — before they are approved.
This push followed a 2022 U.S. appeals court decision that dismissed Viasat’s attempt to enforce a NEPA review of SpaceX’s Starlink expansion, citing outdated regulatory frameworks that did not anticipate the current scale of satellite deployments.
Meanwhile, space sustainability documentaries and mainstream media coverage are helping demystify these issues for general audiences. Coupled with appearances by space sustainability advocates on popular podcasts and social media channels, these efforts are expanding the conversation far beyond niche technical circles.
This article first appeared in the February 2025 issue of SpaceNews Magazine with the title “Closing the gap.”
