A Survey of the Italian Space Debris Related Activities

Since the end of the 80's the Italian Space Agency (ASI) devoted its attention to the problem of space debris, at the time mainly focused on the uncontrolled reentry in the atmosphere of hazardous space objects. The predictions for these events were performed by means of the models and software developed and installed at CNUCE, an Institute of the Italian National Research Council (CNR). Since then the orbital evolution of the hazardous reentering objects is followed, in the framework of the ASI { CNUCE agreement for the Space Objects Monitoring Service (SMOS). When the issue of the overcrowding of circum-terrestrial space arose, in Italy studies on the long term evolution of the space debris population started. In 1992 CNUCE begun the development of two diierent softwares packages to model the debris evolution. They are now being exploited in the framework of SMOS. A study of the eeects of future traac, mainly with respect to the launches of large constellations of Low Earth Orbit satellites, is presented here. The necessity of debris prevention measures, in the design of such constellations is highlighted. The interest of ASI in the eld of space debris led to the establishment, in february 1995, of a Space Debris Working Group which for several months made a survey of the space debris activities in Italy and proposed some guidelines for future work. A summary of the Working Group's Final Report is given.