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New Solutions for the Space Debris Problem

  • Book
  • © 2015

Overview

Authors:
  1. Joseph N. Pelton

    1. Executive Board, International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS), Arlington, USA

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  • Inventories all the current projects and programs aiming to undertake active removal of debris and on-orbit servicing and offers an interdisciplinary assessment of the various technologies envisioned
  • Describes the monitoring system used to track over 22,000 space objects
  • Advocates for the prevention of new debris creation through regulation
  • Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Space Development (BRIEFSSPACE)

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Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xi
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  2. Introduction

    • Joseph N. Pelton
    Pages 1-9

  3. Current Space Debris Remediation and On-Orbit Servicing Initiatives

    • Joseph N. Pelton
    Pages 11-29

  4. Exploring New Approaches and Solutions to the Orbital Space Debris Problem

    • Joseph N. Pelton
    Pages 31-38

  5. Examining the Case for Active Orbital Debris Removal

    • Joseph N. Pelton
    Pages 39-51

  6. New Technological Approaches to Orbital Debris Remediation

    • Joseph N. Pelton
    Pages 53-68

  7. Legal Challenges Related to Active Orbital Debris Removal

    • Joseph N. Pelton
    Pages 69-79

  8. New Ways Forward: A Program of Action for Orbital Space Debris

    • Joseph N. Pelton
    Pages 81-84

  9. Top Ten Things to Know About Active Debris Removal

    • Joseph N. Pelton
    Pages 85-88

  10. Back Matter

    Pages 89-94
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Keywords

About this book

Addressing a pressing issue in space policy, Pelton explores the new forms of technology that are being developed to actively remove the defunct space objects from orbit and analyzes their implications in the existing regime of international space law and public international law. This authoritative review covers the due diligence guidelines that nations are using to minimize the generation of new debris, mandates to de-orbit satellites at end of life, and innovative endeavours to remove non-functional satellites, upper stage rockets and other large debris from orbit under new institutional, financial and regulatory guidelines.  Commercial space services currently exceed 100 billion USD business per annum, but the alarming proliferation in the population of orbital debris in low, medium and geosynchronous satellite orbits poses a serious threat to all kinds of space assets and applications. There is a graver concern that the existing space debris will begin to collide in a cascading manner, generating further debris, which is known as the Kessler Syndrome. Scientific analysis has indicated an urgent need to perform space debris remediation through active removal of debris and on-orbit satellite servicing.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Executive Board, International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS), Arlington, USA

    Joseph N. Pelton

About the author

Joseph N. Pelton is Former Dean of the International Space University, the Vice Chairman and Founder of the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation, a Former Director of Strategic Policy at INTELSAT, Associate Fellow AIAA, and a Member of the International Academy of Astronautics among many other positions and honors.

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