On 30 January 2024, the UK Space Agency (UKSA) and the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) hosted an event themed “IADC at 30: The Work of the IADC in Tackling the Challenges of Attaining Sustainability in the Space Environment”. The discussion took place at ESPI’s new premises as a side event to the 61st United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS) Scientific and Technical Subcommittee.
Seizing the opportunity presented by the 30th Anniversary of the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC), this side event delved into the positioning of the Committee in a context of a plethora of space sustainability initiatives.
The evening commenced with opening remarks by H. Ludwig Moeller, Director of ESPI and Andrew Ratcliffe, Chief Engineer at UKSA. Manuel Metz, IADC Secretariat and Head of SSA & Space Debris Research Group at DLR, sparked the discussion with a presentation on the history and current work of the IADC. The event continued with a panel, moderated by ESPI Research Fellow Gabriele Redigonda, addressing aspects such as the evolution of the Committee and its work throughout the years, the challenges faced in the implementation of the IADC Guidelines and perspectives concerning the translation of the current space sustainability momentum into concrete funding opportunities.
The event is part of the Vienna Space Diplomat (VSD) initiative run by ESPI.
The following panellists joined the conversation:
- Andrew Ratcliffe, Chief Engineer of UKSA
- Manuel Metz, IADC Secretariat and Head of SSA & Space Debris Research Group at DLR
- Dr. Anil Kumar, Associate Director at ISTRAC
- Dr. J.C. Liou, Chief Scientist for Orbital Debris at NASA
The ESPI Key Takeaways of the Side Event are available here.
A selection of photos from the side event can be found below:
