Europe’s Space Agency Is in Talks with SpaceX to Cut Space Junk

The European Space Agency (ESA) is reportedly in talks with America’s SpaceX to cooperate in efforts to reduce the growing amount of space junk.

The talks, reported by Reuters news agency, aim to get the California-based space company to join an international agreement that pushes for policies to fight space debris. It has been estimated that SpaceX satellites represent about two-thirds of spacecraft currently in low-Earth orbit.

Space debris is anything that humans have put into space that is no longer in use. This could include satellites, equipment, parts of rockets or spacecraft.

Space junk orbits hundreds of kilometers above Earth. It can circle Earth at speeds of about 25,000 kilometers per hour in low-Earth orbit. And it can cause major damage if it hits a space station, satellite or spacecraft.

The International agreement that ESA wants SpaceX to join is called the Zero Debris Charter. It seeks to stop any new orbital junk from being created by 2030. The 22 members of ESA have been seeking new members to join the agreement since the agency announced it in 2023.

ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher told Reuters that more than 100 countries and organizations have so far joined the agreement. When asked about SpaceX’s possible involvement, Aschbacher said ESA was “in discussion” with the company to possibly sign up.

Aschbacher did not provide further details. But he said that work on the charter is moving forward, and ESA is continually raising the issue of space junk with nations and organizations.

Reuters reported that SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment on the matter. The news agency said that out of about 10,300 active satellites in space, an estimated 6,300 are part of SpaceX’s fast-growing Starlink internet service system. Reuters said that information came from the U.S. Space Force.

Other organizations and nations are also launching their own large satellite collections. China has done so in an attempt to compete with SpaceX, Reuters reported. In addition, American-based Amazon expects to launch more than 3,000 satellites for its Kuiper internet service over the next 10 years.

Jonathan McDowell is a Harvard University astronomer who follows such objects. He has estimated there are nearly 19,000 pieces of trackable space junk in orbit.

McDowell said he thinks it is important to have members of industry publicly support this kind of charter. “So, I’m glad to know SpaceX is considering it,” he said.

There are no international laws on space debris. But in recent years countries have begun to create plans and national rules for fighting the problem.

“We are not a regulatory body; we are a technical space agency,” Aschbacher said. “But the fact that we have put the charter around the table, which was elaborated with all the other partners, and that they signed up to it is very encouraging,” he added.

I’m Bryan Lynn.

Reuters reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

junk – n. old things that no longer have much value

debris – n. broken pieces of something

regulatory – adj. controlling an activity or process, especially by using rules and laws

elaborate –v. to talk for a long time about something