Update of the ESA Space Debris Mitigation Handbook

The ESA Space Debris Mitigation Handbook was first released in April 1999 with the aim to inform planners, designers, and operators of space systems on possible risks due to the man-made debris and natural meteoroid environment at altitudes ranging from low Earth orbits (LEO) to the geostationary ring (GEO). In this paper, we present an outline of the contents of the ESA Space Debris Mitigation Handbook second edition, highlighting the major new and significantly updated elements. Then, we describe the extensive analyses being conducted with the models in order to provide state-of-the-art predictions for supporting the Handbook update process. Some examples of these predictions are given to illustrate the diversity and relevance of the new Handbook contents. Finally, we describe the innovative, internet-based methods that are being employed to develop, review and distribute version 2.0 of the Handbook.