Prague, January 29, 2025 – The Ministry of Transport, which coordinates space activities in the Czech Republic, has signed the so-called Zero Debris Charter. This significant step took place during an event for the Czech industry focused on preparing for the upcoming phase of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Space Safety Programme, whose goals are closely aligned with the idea of the Zero Debris Charter.
The Zero Debris Charter is an initiative aimed at minimizing the creation and emission of space debris and ensuring the safety of space activities. Signing this charter confirms the Czech Republic’s commitment to the sustainable and responsible use of space.
“The signing of the Zero Debris Charter is an important step towards ensuring the safety and sustainability of our space activities. The Czech Republic is thus continuing its long-term policy aimed at ensuring a responsible approach to space and protecting our space environment for future generations,” said Martin Kupka, Minister of Transport of the Czech Republic.
Why the Zero Debris Charter?
The Zero Debris Charter is an ambitious plan with the goal of achieving space missions without the creation of new space debris by 2030. The main points of this initiative include:
- Minimizing debris creation: Using innovative technologies and implementing stricter rules to prevent the creation of space debris.
- Removing existing debris: Supporting projects like the ClearSpace-1 mission, aimed at actively removing space debris from orbit.
- International cooperation: Sharing best practices and a pool of ideas among space agencies and industry.
Czech Contribution to Responsible Space
The Czech Republic has been actively participating in the Space Safety Program since 2013. Czech companies and scientists have long collaborated on projects that strengthen the sustainability of space activities. Among the most well-known are the HERA mission focused on planetary defense and the VIGIL mission, which predicts the impact of space weather on terrestrial infrastructure. The Czech industry also played a significant role in the ClearSpace-1 project, the world’s first mission focused on actively removing space debris.
Newly joined the initiative are companies OHB Czechspace, Huld, Iguassu Software Systems, Hikade Technologies, and the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
“We are proud to be part of this important initiative. The Zero Debris Charter is a key step towards ensuring the safety and sustainable approach to the orbit of our future space activities,” said Vít Pavelec, CEO of OHB CzechSpace.
Tomáš Cinert, Director of the Czech branch of Huld, added: “Signing the Zero Debris Charter is a commitment to a responsible approach to space. We are determined to contribute to minimizing the creation of space debris and protecting the space environment.”
Industry Briefing: The Future of Space Safety
The signing of the Zero Debris Charter was part of the Industry Briefing for ESA’s Space Safety Programme, which brought new opportunities for the Czech space industry and scientific community. The main points of the program included:
- Discussion on cooperation opportunities within ESA’s Space Safety Programme.
- Presentations of projects focused on preventing and solving the problem of space debris.
- B2B meetings where company representatives could share know-how with ESA experts.
