The European Space Agency (ESA) appealed to satellite operators and space agencies to clear up their retired crafts, many of which could impact launches, and are in danger of hitting the International Space Station.

"Only about 60 percent of the satellites that should be disposed of at the end of their missions under current guidelines are, in fact, properly managed,"  Dr. Holger Krag, head of ESA's debris office told the European Conference on Space Debris in Germany.

"This means urgently developing the means for actively removing debris, targeting about 10 large defunct satellites from orbit each year, beginning as soon as possible – starting later will not be nearly as effective."