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<p>The rapid expansion of global space activities, driven by scientific missions, commercial ventures, and mega-constellations, has made Earth’s orbit increasingly congested. As of 2025, over 8300 active satellites and tens of thousands of cataloged debris objects coexist with numerous smaller, untracked fragments, and this population continues to grow daily due to rising launch rates and inadequate post-mission disposal. The resulting density heightens the risk of hypervelocity collisions, endangering spacecraft, astronauts, and infrastructure, while increasing the likelihood of cascading debris growth, known as the Kessler syndrome. This review paper examines mitigation strategies across low Earth orbit, medium Earth orbit, and atmospheric reentry. In low Earth orbit (LEO), focus areas include post-mission disposal, collision avoidance, drag augmentation, and constellation management. In medium Earth orbit (MEO), where decay is negligible, reorbiting to stable graveyard orbits is emphasized. For reentry, mitigation relies on controlled deorbiting, design-for-demise technologies, and compliance with the internationally accepted casualty threshold of 1 in 10,000. Emerging active debris removal (ADR) technologies, such as robotic capture, tether systems, and directed energy, are assessed alongside passive measures and operational practices. The regulatory landscape, including the Inter-Agency Space Debris Committee (IADC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and national policies, is also reviewed. Persistent gaps in compliance, passivation, and standardized metrics highlight the urgent need for a globally harmonized approach that integrates technology, operations, and governance to ensure long-term orbital sustainability.</p>

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Space debris mitigation strategies across orbital regimes: an integrated review of LEO, MEO disposal, and reentry approaches

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月28日

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  • Fawzan M. K. Navaz,
  • Efstratios L. Ntantis

摘要

The rapid expansion of global space activities, driven by scientific missions, commercial ventures, and mega-constellations, has made Earth’s orbit increasingly congested. As of 2025, over 8300 active satellites and tens of thousands of cataloged debris objects coexist with numerous smaller, untracked fragments, and this population continues to grow daily due to rising launch rates and inadequate post-mission disposal. The resulting density heightens the risk of hypervelocity collisions, endangering spacecraft, astronauts, and infrastructure, while increasing the likelihood of cascading debris growth, known as the Kessler syndrome. This review paper examines mitigation strategies across low Earth orbit, medium Earth orbit, and atmospheric reentry. In low Earth orbit (LEO), focus areas include post-mission disposal, collision avoidance, drag augmentation, and constellation management. In medium Earth orbit (MEO), where decay is negligible, reorbiting to stable graveyard orbits is emphasized. For reentry, mitigation relies on controlled deorbiting, design-for-demise technologies, and compliance with the internationally accepted casualty threshold of 1 in 10,000. Emerging active debris removal (ADR) technologies, such as robotic capture, tether systems, and directed energy, are assessed alongside passive measures and operational practices. The regulatory landscape, including the Inter-Agency Space Debris Committee (IADC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and national policies, is also reviewed. Persistent gaps in compliance, passivation, and standardized metrics highlight the urgent need for a globally harmonized approach that integrates technology, operations, and governance to ensure long-term orbital sustainability.