Space waste: which European country has the largest risk of collision?

The space is increasingly congested and the experts are sounding the alarm.

In a report, the European space agency indicates that around 1,200 debris of rockets and satellites fell on Earth last year.

While 54,000 space debris over 10 cm still float around the planet, the organization adds that they are increasing in “number and size”.

Other experts believe that the rate of return of objects could reach 15 a day within ten years.

In question, an increase in satellite launches, notably by SpaceX and China, as well as an increased solar activity, which slows down spatial objects, making them disintegrate more quickly.

France throws debris into space

France would be the European nation which presents the highest orbital risk, with 533 debris and rocket bodies dispersed in orbit, as well as 105 active satellites.

This is indicated by the spatial risk score established by the manufacturer of aerospace equipment Yijin, who analyzed the data compiled by Space-Track.org and N2YO.com.

His spokesperson Gavin Yi says that a “debris cascade could exclude us from orbit for generations”.

“While orbit highways are increasingly congested, the approach of Europe in terms of space management will determine if we keep access to this critical field”.

However, France has implemented the guidelines relating to the reduction of spatial debris adopted by the United Nations, which provide for measures aimed at minimizing debris creation, such as the desire and the anti -corrosion treatment of satellites at the end of their life cycle.

The country also has a law on space operations which requires responsible spatial activities and debris reduction strategies.

The United Kingdom comes in second position, only because it exploits the largest fleet of satellites on the continent (658). Its production of debris is in fact minimal, with a single debris in orbit.

The European space agency has also shown “good orbital waste management”, according to the report, with 95 satellites and only 27 debris.

Space security is not achievable as part of current guidelines

ESA has implemented several programs and initiatives to reduce its impact on space, including the “clean space” initiative, which develops technologies for more sustainable missions, as well as its space debris office, which monitors and models the debris environment in order to reduce collisions and atmosphere.

Its report on the spatial environment, however, emphasizes that “the current levels of compliance with the guidelines relating to the reduction of space debris are insufficient to ensure a long -term sustainable spatial environment”.

At the same time, an ESA spokesperson told Euronews that the risk of spatial debris for humans was minimal.

“The annual risk that a human being is injured by a space debris is less than one in 100 billion. In comparison, a person has about 65,000 times more likely to be struck by lightning”.

Many space objects are divided into smaller fragments when they fall on earth, because they burn under the effect of atmospheric compression and the speeds they reach.

“The spatial debris that survives have very rarely caused ground damages,” said ESA.