The Karman Project, a global non-profit foundation, recently hosted the Karman Week 2025, a conference that brought together experts to discuss the sustainability of space science. The event, hosted by SatSure, an earth observation data refinery platform, aimed to promote peace and security in space through international cooperation. The conference highlighted the importance of making space science more sustainable, with a focus on mitigating space debris. According to Susmita Mohanty, head of Spaceport SARABHAI, India’s first space think tank, there are currently 1.2 million pounds of space debris in space, and it is essential to create a “sustainability index for space science” to address this issue.
The conference also emphasized the role of space science in addressing climate change. Fani Kallianou de Jong, Principal Manager at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, noted that space science can play a crucial role in this era of climate change. The Karman Project’s managing director, Hannah Ashford, praised India’s leadership in space exploration and its use of space technologies to address real-world challenges such as agriculture, climate resilience, and disaster response.
Minoo Rathnasabapathy, from the MIT Media Lab, emphasized the importance of emerging nations having access to available data to achieve space sustainability. The Karman Project brings together public and private sector decision-makers to advance sustainability, education, science, security, and capacity building efforts in space. The conference highlighted the need for international cooperation to promote peace and security in space, and the importance of making space science more sustainable and equitable globally.
The Karman Project’s efforts aim to promote a collaborative approach to space exploration, recognizing that space is a shared resource that requires global cooperation to ensure its sustainability. By bringing together experts and decision-makers from around the world, the project aims to advance our understanding of space and its potential to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges. The conference was a significant step towards achieving this goal, and it is expected that the discussions and outcomes will have a lasting impact on the future of space exploration and sustainability.