Space Debris
Your mission: Just like astronauts who sometimes have to avoid space debris, you will become aware of human-caused pollution in space and develop a solution for this growing problem.
This resource was created by Space Expo, Netherlands 2025

Space debris consists of any human-made objects in Earth’s orbit that are no longer operational. This often includes defunct satellites or discarded rocket stages, but sometimes even small fragments of metal or paint. Satellites are rarely retrieved when they stop working, and some even become uncontrollable from Earth, increasing the risk of collisions. These collisions, in turn, generate even more space debris, potentially leading to a chain reaction of crashes in orbit. To prevent this, fewer objects should be launched in the first place, but space activities must also become more sustainable by reusing components wherever possible. Additionally, space debris needs to be actively removed. In the meantime, the International Space Station (ISS) sometimes has to adjust its altitude to avoid debris, and astronauts must be ready to take shelter in their return capsule if necessary.
Awareness, Sustainability, Collaboration
Understand how humans have polluted, and continue to pollute, space – particularly the area around Earth.
Become aware of the extent of this pollution.
Explore solutions for the increasing number of satellites around Earth, focusing on sustainable ways to remove defunct satellites.
- PowerPoint presentation
- Paper
- Drawing and Crafting Materials
Explore more Mission X activities!
Your Mission: Perform a walk, progressing to 1600m to improve lung, heart, and other muscle endurance. When exploring space, astronauts …
Your Mission: Measure different body parts and explore how these measurements might change in space. How tall are you? Are …
Your Mission: Perform throwing and catching techniques on one foot to improve balance and spatial awareness. On Earth, we use …
Your Mission: Identify which plants are suitable for growing in space as a good source of nutrition for astronauts. Food …
Votre mission: Effectuer un parcours d’obstacle en fauteuil roulant pour développer votre coordination et votre endurance. This resource was created …
Your Mission: Perform jump training with a rope to improve strength and endurance. On Earth, humans experience the effects of …
Your Mission: Observe and compare bones, and design bone models to investigate ways to keep bones healthy. Explorers need strong …
Your Mission: Perform a climb training activity on wall bars or a rock wall to improve balance and coordination, and …
Your Mission: Perform an exercise with balls of different weights, as if you were in different gravitational conditions, to strengthen …
Venus is the most volcanic planet in our solar system and recent research suggests some of these volcanoes are still …