This week , the7th European Conference on Space Debrisis taking place in Germany , which aims to connect experts and policymakers to present , discuss , and debate the latest research on   the pressing problem that is space detritus .

“ Space debris is a global effect . We are all implicated about it , everybody who ’s fly a ballistic capsule . And this is why I think this problem can only be puzzle out globally , if we all stick together , if we all put our resources together , ” Rolf Densing , European Space Agency ( ESA ) managing director of mathematical operation , said during theopening of the conference .   “ ESA is quick to contribute its 40 years of experience and expertise into a spherical initiative . ”

There are over 700,000 objects bigger than 1   centimeter ( 0.4 inches ) orbiting our major planet . They are moving at about 11 kilometers ( 6 miles ) per mo , which means   even the small fragment tamp a puncher equivalent to a helping hand grenade .

Even specks of paint and small shard ( 170 million object larger than 1   millimeter ) can become implausibly grave . Just last year , a tiny piece of debrismanaged to chipone of the windows of   the International Space Station . And the biggest space debris is theEnvisat space vehicle , which weighs 8 tons and is   as big as a bus .

This is usually the moment when one points out that this behemoth act at the same speed as the piffling guy wire , so we ought to do something about it . We do n’t have to deal with this job because it ’s chilling   –   currently , the chances of a hit are quite down in the mouth . We have to deal with this issue because it ’s only going to get worse otherwise .

What most scientist are disquieted about is not a direct hit , but the so - calledKessler syndrome . This is a worst - type scenario where the density of debris is so high that collision between objects generate a cascade of place debris , which collide with more target and so on . If this scenario comes to pass , our access to space might be compromised , thus researchers and policymakers want to intervene before it ’s too late .

The group discussion goal is to delimitate future directions of research , both in footing of reducing the turn of debris we currently take into orbit and how to reduce the amount of blank space junk that is already there .