Abstract Space debris is receiving increased attention as a growing threat to manned and unmanned space activities. It is a global issue, which may ultimately affect all users of space. As the risk posed by space debris to present and future missions reached a level which requires serious considerations and measures, especially for manned missions, ESA, together with its Member States, has initiated first steps to better understand and mitigate the problem. In this paper European efforts in the space debris field are described. In the technical area activities can be grouped into three main subdivisions, namely improved knowledge of the terrestrial particulate environment including the future evolution of the space debris population, assessment of the risk for manned and unmanned space missions, and finally, protective and preventive measures. In order to avoid serious consequences in later periods, measures to reduce the growth of the number of space debris should be initiated now.
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