1. Why haven’t we solved the space debris problem yet? Dr Hugh Lewis Astronautics Research Group, Faculty of Engineering & the Environment

2. 2 Don’t Even Think About It… George Marshall (@climategeorge), author of “Don’t Even Think About It: Why Our Brains are Wired to Ignore Climate Change”: –Climate change is: Distant in time Distant in place Uncertain Costly Unprecedented Space debris

3. 3 Super Wicked Problem Space debris is a “super wicked problem”* –For the person/organisation trying to solve the problem: Time is running out There is no central authority Those seeking to solve the problem are also causing it Solutions are pushed into the future irrationally *Brian Weedon (@brianweedon) from Secure World Foundation at the Center for Orbital Debris Education and Research workshop yesterday

4. 4 The solution? 1.Create stickiness 2.Entrench support 3.Expand the population that supports the policy –Shared commitment Make reversibility difficult Create benefits for groups who change their behaviour Offset the status quo UN Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines Code of Conduct NASA Technical Standard ISO 24113: Space Debris Mitigation Requirements CubeSat Design Specification

5. Threats & opportunities Envisat E.g. Small satellites & CubeSats: 5

6. 6 Teachable moments…

7. Thank you for your attention Email: hglewis@soton.ac.uk Twitter: @DrHughLewis Thanks to George Marshall (Climate Outreach Information Network), Brian Weedon (Secure World Foundation), T.S. Kelso (CSSI) and Richard Crowther (UK Space Agency)