What did we learn during Zero Debris Week 2026? 💡 Co-organised by the Spanish Space Agency (Agencia Espacial Española) and the European Space Agency - ESA, the event brought together the Zero Debris community to review the progress achieved over the past year and agree on where collective action is needed next. Throughout the week, participants highlighted several priorities: 🔹 Keeping the Zero Debris Charter’s 2030 objectives firmly in focus, while beginning to consider what should come next 🔹 Building stronger links between technical work and policy developments 🔹 Identifying the areas where joint action can have the greatest impact 🔹 Developing a shared database of technologies, initiatives and activities to make information related to debris prevention and mitigation easier to find, reveal gaps and avoid duplicated efforts 🔹 Building on existing expertise and initiatives across the space sector As the Zero Debris community continues to grow, one message becomes very clear: turning the community’s ambition into action depends not only on technology and policy, but also on active participation, collaboration and a shared commitment towards a more sustainable space environment 🌍🛰️♻️ 🔗Read more: https://lnkd.in/eFpq37V7 Thank you to all participants, contributors and Working Group members for their engagement throughout the week! 🚀 #ZeroDebris #SpaceSustainability #CleanSpace #SpaceSafety #SpaceDebris #ZeroDebrisCharter
ESA Space Safety
Space Research and Technology
Protecting our planet and ensuring a sustainable future in space
About us
ESA's Space Safety programme protects our planet, infrastructure in space and on the ground, and ensures a sustainable future in space. Planetary defence: Early warning of asteroids and the capacity to deflect hazardous objects. Space Weather: Monitoring the Sun to forecast space weather events to protect critical infrastructure. Space debris: Technology to monitor space debris for insights and protecting infrastructure in space. Clean space: Getting and keeping space clean, achieving ESA's Zero Debris ambitions.
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https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety
External link for ESA Space Safety
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- Space Research and Technology
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Updates
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ESA Space Safety reposted this
🛰️Our Ramses planetary defence spacecraft has been switched on for the first time, a major milestone on the way to its 2028 launch. The ESA-JAXA mission will rendezvous with asteroid Apophis and study it during its exceptionally close flyby of Earth in April 2029.👉https://lnkd.in/e6pUc4gK JAXA: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
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How can Europe turn in-orbit servicing technologies into viable commercial services? 🌍🛰️💰📈 This was one of the questions that took centre stage at Investor Forum 2026, held in Paris on 18 September. Organised by the European Space Agency - ESA, with the support of the European Commission (DG-DEFIS) and EUSPA - EU Agency for the Space Programme, the event brought together investors, project finance specialists and representatives from European institutions and Member States to explore financing mechanisms and stronger public-private collaboration. Introduced by Holger Krag (ESA Space Safety Programme Manager) and moderated by Quentin Verspieren (Head of the ESA Space Safety Programme Coordination Office), a dedicated panel explored how emerging in-orbit servicing technologies can attract investment. Representatives from OTB Ventures, D-Orbit, Astroscale, Exotrail and the European Commission discussed the balance of public and private financing, the role of financial institutions and the measures needed to reduce the risk of investment and encourage greater participation from the private sector. 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/e6Kcf-ny 📷 ESA – P. Sebirot ESA Commercialisation Gateway
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The Ramses planetary defence spacecraft from European Space Agency - ESA and JAXA: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has been turned on for the first time by its prime contractor OHB Italia S.p.A. – marking a major milestone in its time-critical development schedule: https://lnkd.in/e6pUc4gK
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ESA Space Safety reposted this
Last week at ESA's Industry Space Days, industry leaders, institutions and innovators from across Europe came together to explore the technologies, partnerships and ambitions shaping the future of space. 🇪🇺🚀 One message resonated throughout the event: Europe's success in space is built on strong collaboration between ESA and industry. That collaboration was on full display in the Ground Systems Engineering and Space Safety Programme presentations. 📡 ESA's Ground Systems Engineering teams showcased the expertise and technologies behind Europe's most ambitious missions, from mission control and navigation to flight dynamics. They also highlighted the free software, tools and strategic R&D in optical communications, cybersecurity and AI that are helping strengthen Europe's space ecosystem. ☄️ ESA Space Safety programme outlined Europe's next bold step: moving from monitoring space hazards to actively protecting our planet. With Hera already in space and projects such as FlyEye, SWING and DRACO advancing, the foundations for the next generation of planetary defence and space safety capabilities are taking shape. 🤝 Together, these efforts demonstrate ESA's commitment to empowering industry, accelerating innovation and strengthening Europe's autonomy and leadership in space. 📷 ESA #ISD2026 #ESOC #SpaceSafety
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Currently speeding through space at 12 km/s, ESA’s Hera spacecraft is due to reach its target Dimorphos asteroid this November. But if an astronaut were magically teleported onto Hera, what would they see & what would it happen if they let themself fall? https://lnkd.in/e6eMbmqB
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ESA Space Safety reposted this
AN IMPORTANT DAY FOR SPACE SAFETY AT OHB ITALIA Yesterday we were pleased to host Mr. Holger Krag, ESA's Manager of the Space Safety Programme, at our Milan facilities. His visit took place on a special day for the #Ramses mission, as the spacecraft was switched-on for the first time at OHB Italia S.p.A. premises: the On-Board Computer and several other units were being powered-on and connected. The whole team was really proud about this significant milestone that represents a very important step in the next satellite’s integration process. Mr. Krag also visited our #Flyeye integration centre, where he had the opportunity to see first-hand the progress of our innovative telescope. Flyeye is one of the ground-based telescopes with the widest Field of View (#FoV) ever developed and will play an important role in detecting and monitoring near-Earth objects (#NEO). As #PrimeContractor for Ramses and as the company responsible for developing Flyeye, OHB Italia S.p.A. is working closely with European Space Agency - ESA and its partners to strengthen Europe’s space safety capabilities. We are grateful to Mr. Krag and the ESA staff for sharing this important moment with us. ESA Space Safety Paolo Martino Giuseppe Filomeno #SpaceSafety #PlanetaryDefence OHB SE #OHBItalia #NearEarthObjects #SatelliteIntegration #EuropeanSpace www.ohb-italia.it
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ESA Space Safety reposted this
“Europe has demonstrated that it can develop world-class space technologies and companies. The next challenge is to create the conditions for them to scale, industrialise and compete globally.” This message from European Space Agency - ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher set the tone for the Investor Forum, held on 18 September at ESA Headquarters in Paris. Bringing together close to 200 participants, including almost 100 investors, alongside industry leaders, policymakers and European institutions, the Forum explored how space innovation, public demand and private capital can work together to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness, industrial capabilities and commercial growth. Alongside keynote contributions from Robert de Groot, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), and Christoph Kautz, Director for Space Policy at the European Commission (DG DEFIS, EU Defence and Security), ESA leadership also shared perspectives from across the Agency and connected investment opportunities with priorities across ESA programmes. Among them: - Geraldine Naja, Director of Space Transportation and Acting Director of Commercialisation and Industry Partnerships, - Christine Klein, Director of Controlling, Finance and Operational Procurement, ESA, - Dietmar Pilz, Director of ESA Technology, Engineering and Quality, - Holger Krag, Head of ESA Space Safety Programme, - Simonetta Cheli, Director of ESA Earth Observation Programmes, - Laurent Jaffart, Director of ESA Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity, - Daniel Neuenschwander, Director of Human and Robotic Exploration. The Forum highlighted practical initiatives including the EIB Space Lending Facility and ESA’s Space Debt Catalogue. A recurring theme throughout the discussions was the importance of strengthening links between companies, investors and financial institutions, and improving access to financing solutions that can help European space businesses scale and compete internationally, as emphasised by Gianluigi Baldesi, Head of ESA Ventures and Financing Office. Organised by ESA with the support of DG DEFIS and EUSPA - EU Agency for the Space Programme, the Investor Forum reflects ESA’s efforts to connect the space and financial communities and support the growth of Europe’s space economy. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/evEcEwUB Consult the Investor Forum 2026 page: https://lnkd.in/eH2DD3h2
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Neomir is a proposed ESA mission to see asteroids in a new way – operating in the infrared to spot incoming bodies that otherwise stay hidden by dazzling sunlight. Planned for launch in the early 2030s, Neomir is a Planetary Defence mission, but is also of high scientific interest, as demonstrated by the inaugural Neomir Science Workshop. It took place this week in Nice under the theme 'Hunting asteroids near the Sun'. The topics covered included near-Earth object populations and properties, infrared detections, thermal modelling, available databases, and much more. The workshop gathered scientists from both academia and industry. The next step for Neomir is the start of Phase B1 for detailed definition of the mission – the Invitation for Tender is already out, with kick-off scheduled for the coming months. More information on the workshop: https://lnkd.in/eme_PVJY (Image credit: Julien Serrecourt/CNRS)
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🚨 Deadline extended: apply for ESA's Strategic Initiative in support of ISAM until 23 September! The countdown is on. You have a few days left to submit your idea and help shape the future of In-Space Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (ISAM). As part of ESA's Strategic Initiative on ISAM, multidisciplinary teams are challenged to develop innovative concepts addressing two strategic opportunities for Europe's future in space: establish a multi-users orbital refilling network and extending the lifetime of high-value assets. Selected teams will take part in a 5-day Innovation Sprint at ESA ESTEC, where they will work alongside ESA experts, mentors and key stakeholders to refine their concepts and develop a roadmap for future implementation. Winning team(s) will be invited to apply for a Cooperative Agreement with ESA, with funding of up to €200,000 to further develop their concept. 🛰️ 23-27 November 2026 📍 ESA ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands 👥 Open to industry, SMEs, startups, research centres and academia from ESA Member States and Associate Member States 🗓️ Application deadline: 23 September 2026, 12:00 CEST Don't miss this opportunity to contribute to the next generation of European space capabilities! 👉 Apply now via OSIP: https://lnkd.in/d-wHf2Hw Questions? Reach out to us at: strategic.initiatives@esa.int
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