Conclusion A safer and more sustainable space environment is essential for all stakeholders, from established space powers and large corporations to emerging nations and start-ups. This insight report’s economic analysis illustrates that the cost of maintaining the status quo already carries material cost: up to $42.3 billion in cumulative expected losses in 2025–2035, driven primarily by service disruptions and operational inefficiencies. The projections reflect a business-as- usual scenario informed by historical data, in which no major debris-generating events are expected under present operating patterns. A deviation from this trend – for example, a large-scale collision or fragmentation event – would drive losses far beyond current estimates. The path forward depends on a shared commitment among all space actors to ensure the long-term sustainability of the orbital environment. Operators should increase transparency in manoeuvre planning and adhere to effective methods for post- mission disposal. Launch providers should commit to controlled re-entries and end the practice of abandoning upper stages in congested orbits. Regulators, in turn, need to embed international best practices in domestic law through licensing conditions and encouraging financial incentives that reward sustainable behaviour, where feasible and appropriate. Ultimately, this report defines a clear decision point for the global space sector: continue with a business-as- usual approach that imposes a debris-caused tax on the entire space economy and dependent sectors or invest now in a more sustainable framework for how space actors manage and operate within Earth’s orbital environment. Choosing the latter offers an opportunity to shift from a reactive posture to a proactive strategy that combines preventative measures, economic incentives and international collaboration to ensure that humanity continues to benefit from space infrastructure for generations to come. Clear Orbit, Secure Future: A Call to Action on Space Debris 23

Clear Orbit Secure Future 2026