The amount of debris in space is constantly increasing and is starting to reach extremely dangerous levels. This process is not only alarming but also has the potential to result in catastrophic losses. At the same time, the capability of the space industry to implement better debris management is hampered by financial, technological, information, philosophical and political constraints.
Funded by the European Union Framework 7 space debris programme, the Alignment of Capability and Capacity for the Objective of Reducing Debris (ACCORD) project is looking at supporting European research and development in the field of space debris by focusing on surveying current industry capabilities to implement debris mitigation measures and how efficient they are. This will result in a clearer ranking of the different debris mitigation strategies, which will be of great benefit for both industry and policy makers.
The project is run in consortium with PHS Space, a UK based company providing consultancy in the area of space debris.