THE PROBLEM

Over 1.2 million debris objects threaten to render low Earth orbit unusable through cascading collisions, threatening trillions in space-based infrastructure that modern civilization depends on.

COMMENTS FROM THE INDUSTRY

Critical Tipping Point

ESA's 2025 report confirms we've entered an unsustainable phase where debris populations grow through collisions even without new launches. Over 40,000 tracked objects orbit Earth - only 11,000 are active satellites - while 1.2 million fragments larger than 1 cm travel at catastrophic speeds. In altitude bands around 550 km, debris density now equals satellite density, meaning every spacecraft faces equal collision risk from debris as from other satellites. As ESA Director Josef Aschbacher warns: "Not adding new debris is no longer enough. We must now actively clean up the space debris environment".

1

Inadequate Mitigation

While mitigation standards are improving, ESA confirms they cannot stop the increase. Only 40-70% of end-of-life payloads comply with disposal rules, and 10.5 fragmentation events occur annually, each adding hundreds of new debris objects. The 2009 Iridium-Kosmos collision created thousands of fragments still orbiting today - proof that current measures slow but cannot reverse the problem.

3

Operational Strain

Satellite operators face daily collision-avoidance decisions, with 340 satellites now performing over 10 maneuvers monthly - a sevenfold increase since 2019 - costing €2-3 billion annually. Current modeling shows that even if launches ceased, collisions would continue generating debris in a self-sustaining cascade. By 2030, over 70,000 satellites may populate LEO, and within 25 years debris could double, potentially destroying satellites faster than replacements can launch.

2

The Market Deadlock

Despite NASA showing remediation benefits outweigh costs by hundreds of times, viable commercial frameworks remain absent. No single operator can justify removing debris that threatens everyone, creating a collective action problem market forces cannot solve. Without sustainable funding, regulatory coordination, and proven business models, the investment required stays locked away. OpenSpace International exists to break this deadlock—serving as the primary market maker that creates the ecosystem enabling debris removal at scale.