The mounting problem of space debris in low earth orbit and its threat to the operation of
application satellites has been increasingly recognized as space activities increase. The
efforts of the Inter Agency Space Debris Coordinating Committee (IADC) and UN COPUS have now
led to international guidelines to mitigate the creation of new debris. This book discusses the
technical studies being developed for active removal processes and otherwise mitigating
problems of space debris particularly in low earth orbit. This book also considers threats to
space systems and the Earth that comes from natural causes such as asteroids coronal mass
ejections and radiation. After more than half a century of space applications and explorations
the time has come to consider ways on how to provide sustainability for long-term space
activities.
