We’ve launched satellites into orbit. Sent a rover to Mars. Landed on the moon. What’s next for the space industry? Which near-term goals are possible in this decade? Well, organizations will first need to address the accumulating mass of debris congesting the near-Earth space environment. Also known as space junk, these thousands of pieces of abandoned satellites and rockets pose serious risks. As Dr. Stella Tkatchova, a project manager in the European Space Industry and author of Emerging Space Markets, notes, “If you cannot clean the orbit, you will not be able to have human space flight.”

In the final episode of this series, Stella discusses what’s next in space technology. She digs into the ever-growing problem of orbital debris, its potential threats to the market, and the business opportunities it creates for cleanup and removal companies. Last, Stella offers some advice for universities on how to prepare students for diverse career and research opportunities in the space industry.

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