Duration: 6 months
CONTEXT AND PROBLEM
o There are more than 1 million of space debris objects from 1 cm to 10 cm [1], and growing at a fast speed, as a side effect of democratization and commercial exploitation of space, especially in LEO.
o Due to speed, even those small debris are posing risks to all space activities, increased by a potential cascade effect (Kessler effect) resulting of collisions between space assets, which may render some orbits unusable for human activities.
o There are as of today very scarce initiatives on ADR (Active Debris Removal) for small debris, even if this is where we should focus in order to reduce the risk to the current fleet of operational spacecraft [2].
o The real issue behind small debris management is financial: today there is no commercial business case for ADR initiatives (on small debris). Moreover, taxes, regulations and policies are slow and hard to implement, because Space is global and belonging to all Nations.
SOLUTION
A disruptive approach to help create the business case behind remediation of Small Debris, by relying on:
o Global growth of sustainability awareness: half of people around the world are aware of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). This represents a 12% growth in the past 7 years [3].
o Space wow factor among global public [4].
o Progress on promising technology Laser Momentum Transfer for action on debris [5] [6] [7] [8].
in order to forge a business relationship with a very big earth industry: Videogames [9].
We believe that providing access to public opinion as actors of the new space ecosystem thanks to communication, transparency and the power of videogames, we will foster technology adoption and later funding by private and political stakeholders.
Let us learn from Elon Musk’s marketing strategy to attract private investors, and market Ender Debris Mission as the safe guarder of Humanity’s future in space, in the hands of every kid and grown up kid.
