Space exploration is booming. However, like most human endeavours, it is not without its consequences.
As humans continue to venture into the solar system, a prominent problem is arising at an alarming rate: space pollution.
Currently, there are over 160 MILLION pieces of human-made space debris in Earth’s orbit! Which ultimately threaten to destroy the very infrastructure that we all depend on. Here’s what’s at stake: satellites that power navigation, climate disaster monitoring, remote education, food production and so much more.
Several aerospace organizations have come together to raise awareness and enforce action with a noteworthy initiative.
“Space Trash Signs” has been drawing public attention for all the right reasons, by making these consequences visible.
How do these Space Trash Signs help?
Launched by Serviceplan Innovation together with Moby Digg, Eat, Sleep + Design, Jürgen Branz, kimera, and Non Zero, this initiative sparks curiosity and conversations for its unique way of educating people.
Space Trash Signs are the first astronomical constellations, made of space debris.
Each “trash sign” represents a different impact of space pollution.
For example, “The Broken Compass”, which signifies the loss of navigation services like GPS, which would make modern aviation impossible.
“The Great 404” was named after the ‘page not found’ error in web browsers
It represents how satellite internet will be impacted, affecting millions of people, and isolating entire communities.
“The Lost Harvest” stands for the loss of environmental data
Since this information can only be collected through satellites, it can lead to potential famines and natural disasters going forward.
What makes these signs especially significant?
The timing.
The Space Trash Signs were launched ahead of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS) session set to take place in June 2024.
The initiative has garnered a coalition of support from all over the world. It includes the likes of:
- The European Space Agency
- Privateer, a space monitoring company based in US
- Astroscale, a Japanese-founded global debris-removal innovator
- WARR, a scientific workgroup for aerospace and rocketry
- OKAPI: Orbits, a sustainable space tech startup based in Europe
- Dark, a space tech company based in France
- Digantara, an space safety tech company based in India
- Astronomers Without Borders, a global astronomical society
- Deutsches Museum, the world’s largest science and technology museum
Public support leads to policy change, and this move has been exceptionally remarkable.
Bringing the signs to life
With over 700 partnerships with planetariums globally, the Space Trash Signs are accessible for everyone to experience. Additionally, the signs have been integrated into popular AR star-gazing apps.
An interesting digital campaign was carried out to amplify the buzz:
The consequences of space pollution were portrayed through staged website errors, failed parcel tracking, and missing forecasts!
All these signs guided people towards taking action, including signing the Zero Debris Charter facilitated by the European Space Agency.
A much-needed initiative
A thought-provoking idea that stirs collective action and makes people visualize the consequences of space pollution, for a zero debris future.
