ROOM
16
Special Report
Holger Krag
ESA’s Space Debris
Office, ESA/ESOC,
Darmstadt, Germany
F
or many today access to a fast, reliable
internet service is an expected and perhaps
essential part of everyday life. However,
access to internet services is not as
widespread as it might seem at first glance. About half
of the world population, mostly in underdeveloped,
remote or sparsely populated regions, have no access
at all. In these regions, information and knowledge
shared by web communication could greatly influence
their development.
Mega challenges for
mega-constellations
Concerns about preserving the space environment, particularly in low
Earth orbit have intensified with the growing interest in new satellite
mega-constellations initiatives. Mega-constellations are one of the biggest
challenges faced by the satellite communications industry today, calling for
changes in manufacturing processes, assembly and testing methods, and
a need to implement technologies to minimise the potential impact on the
space environment. But there are concerns that these technologies may not
be enough to alleviate a cascade of increased collisions and debris.
An artistic interpretation
of orbital tracks for
satellites in a mega
constellation by artist
Zoe Squires (see p108).
