Right now there are more than 29.000 objects larger than 10 centimeters floating around the earth. It is space waste; parts of broken rockets and satellites. This waste can damage our current satellites, with collisions creating more space waste and disturbing our digital communications. And nobody really knows how to fix it.

SPACE WASTE LAB is the multi-year living lab with the European Space Agency and Studio Roosegaarde to capture space waste and upcycle it into sustainable products such Shooting Stars as alternative for polluting fireworks, 3D-printing of moon habitats, and a gigantic sun reflector to reduce climate change. The SPACE WASTE LAB PERFORMANCE visualises the space waste above your head real-time with beams of light.

SPACE WASTE LAB is the living lab of space experts at ESA (the European Space Agency) and the team of Studio Roosegaarde to give new perspectives on the current 8.1 million kilo of space waste. The project is accompanied by an education programme with more than 2000 students participating.

SPACE WASTE LAB PERFORMANCE is a unique large-scale outdoor artwork of LEDs and real-time tracking information to visualise space waste above your head on an altitude of 200 to 20.000 kilometers. A real piece of space waste is part of the outside exhibition. Special designed software and camera technology developed in the last year enables the SPACE WASTE LAB PERFORMANCE to work, in compliance with strict safety and aviation regulations. To enhance the experience of the SPACE WASTE LAB PERFORMANCE the surrounding environment is darkened by shutting down streetlights and commercial signs.

Daan Roosegaarde: "We need to look at space in a better way. What is space waste, how can we fix it, and what is its potential? Space waste is the smog of our universe."

ESA Director Franco Ongaro about SPACE WASTE LAB: “I’m a strong believer in cooperation between technologists and artists. We believe in what we do as a service to society, but we are often unable to communicate its worth effectively enough. Artists not only communicate vision and feelings to the public, but help us discover aspects of our work which we are often unable to perceive. This cooperation is all the more important when dealing with issues like space debris, which may one day impact our future, and our ability to draw maximum benefits from space. We need to speak in different ways, to convey not just the dry technological aspects aspect of technology, but the emotions involved in the struggle to preserve this environment for future generations.”

SPACE WASTE LAB is a part of Roosegaarde's larger vision for Schoonheid, a Dutch word meaning both beauty and cleanliness, as in clean space, clean air, clean water, clean energy. Schoonheid is an activator for change, for citizens, makers, NGOs and governments to value and empower Schoonheid as a creative force to make clean environments.