Ep. 135: Science and Cooperation Against Debris

Safety and sustainability go hand in hand when it comes to protecting the orbital environment for continued use. The Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) has been informing policymakers and regulators, and performing technical research in this area for the past three decades. In this episode Colleen Stover (Aerospace) talks to Andrew Ratcliffe, Chief Engineer of the United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA), about his role at home and as a delegate to the IADC. With 30 national space agency members, what is on the docket for this year’s annual meeting? How do guidelines get rolled into regulations? What are challenges to safety and sustainability around the growing industry and fast-paced technology?

This episode is part of the Center for Space Policy and Strategy's series on “Space Safety Through a Global Lens”. The series will cover a range of foundational topics on issues related to space safety from an international perspective, including:

• Space Weather, Satellites, & Human Safety
• What Is Space Safety?
• International Cooperation for Debris
• ESA’s Zero Debris Policy
• International Launch Safety
• In-Space Rescue

The Space Policy Show is produced by The Aerospace Corporation’s Center for Space Policy and Strategy. It is a virtual series covering a broad set of topics that span across the space enterprise. CSPS brings together experts from within Aerospace, the government, academia, business, nonprofits, and the national labs. The show and their podcasts are an opportunity to learn about and to stay engaged with the larger space policy community.
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