Lok Sabha Question No. 5561 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-04-06
Subject: Development of ADR for Space Debris
Ministry: SPACE
Asked by: Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, Vishnu Dayal Ram, Anil Firojiya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF SPACE LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5561

TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 06, 2022

## DEVELOPMENT OF ADR FOR SPACE DEBRIS

5561.  SHRI BRIJBHUSHAN SHARAN SINGH: SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM: SHRI ANIL FIROJIYA: Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:
2. (a) whether the Government has proposed/taken steps for development of active removal technologies as Active Debris Removal (ADR) is necessary to stabilize the development of space debris;
3. (b)
4. if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
5. (c) whether  there  is  any  data  showing  the  amount  of  Indian space  debris  (space  junk,  space  pollution,  space  waste  or space garbage) in the Earth's orbit;
6. (d)
7. if so, the details thereof;
8. (e) whether ISRO is planning to collaborate with other international  spac  organizations  to  help  clean  up  space debris; and
9. (f) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PG & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH):

- (a) Yes,  Sir.  ISRO  is  aware  that  development  of  active  removal technologies as Active Debris Removal (ADR) is necessary to stabilize the development of space debris and ISRO has taken necessary steps to proceed with ADR studies.
- (b) As  per  the  studies  made  by  Inter  Agency  Space  Debris  Coordination committee (IADC), ADR is necessary to stabilise the growth of Debris. ISRO is a member agency in IADC and ISRO team actively participates in these studies. Presently ISRO has taken  up  research  activities  to study  the  feasibility  and technologies  required  to  undertake  active  debris  removal (ADR).    Active  Debris  Removal  (ADR)  is  one  of  the  active methods suggested by Space Debris Research Community to contain  the  growth  of  Space  Debris  Objects.    ADR  is  a  very complex  technology  and  involves  policy  and  legal  issues. Technology  demonstration  studies  have  been  taken  up  by many  countries  including  India.  Developmental  studies  for finalising necessary technologies are initiated to demonstrate ADR.
- (c) Yes, Sir. Statistics are available regarding Indian  Space Objects  including  Debris.  ISRO  has      released  Indian  Space Situational Awareness Report containing the details of Indian Space Objects.
- (d) As per latest statistics (Orbital Debris Quarterly News December  2021),  there  are  102  Indian  spacecraft  including active and defunct satellites, 116 space debris objects including rocket bodies. Hence a total of 218 orbiting the Earth identified as Indian space objects.
- (e) ISRO has been coordinating and collaborating with International  Space  Organisations  in  dealing  with  the  space debris issues and efforts has been made to contain the growth of the space debris environment.
- (f) ISRO has setup a Directorate (Directorate of Space Situational Awareness and Management at ISRO HQ) to deal with Space Debris related issues. A dedicated Space Situational Awareness  Control Centre is set up in Bengaluru to coordinate all  space  debris  related  activities  in  ISRO  and  to  safeguard Indian operational space assets from collision threats.  ISRO is also planning to have its own observational facilities to track and catalogue the space objects.

ISRO  actively participates in all international efforts to contain the space debris growth for the long term sustainability  of  outer  space.  ISRO  is  an  active  member  of Inter  Agency  Space  Debris  Coordination  Committee  (IADC), IAF space debris working group, IAA Space Traffic Management Working Group, ISO space debris working group and  UNCOPUOS  long  term  sustainability  Working  Group,  all international  organisations  contributing  to  the  space  debris studies  and  Space  Situational  Awareness  (SSA).  ISRO  is collaborating  with  other  space  agencies  like  NASA,  ESA, CNES, JAXA and SSAU in Space Debris Studies and issues.

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