Preamble
Seventh Oukaimeden International School for Astrophysics (OISA) will take place at Oukaimeden observatory, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco between July 7-14, 2023. This edition will cover the thematic of “Space Weather, Debris and Near Earth Objects”.
Context: The threat of Space Debris and Near Earth Objects (NEOs) is a growing concern in the field of space exploration. Space debris, also known as orbital debris or space junk, refers to any human-made object that is no longer serving a useful purpose and is left in orbit around the Earth. This debris poses a significant threat to satellites, spacecraft, and even the International Space Station (ISS), as a collision with even a small piece of debris can cause significant damage. NEOs are asteroids or comets that are on a collision course with the Earth.
These objects can have a catastrophic impact on the planet if they were to collide with it. As a result, it is important for the space community to continuously monitor and track these objects to predict potential impacts and take measures to mitigate the threat. The study of the threat of space debris and NEOs involves the examination of the sources of space debris, current methods for detecting and tracking both types of objects, efforts to prevent the creation of more debris, and plans for removing existing debris. Space weather research studies the impact of solar activity on the Earth's environment, including the solar wind, coronal mass ejections, and other phenomena. It aims to understand and predict the space weather conditions that can disrupt satellite operations, power grids, and other technological systems. Oukaimeden observatory is involved in the research of these thematics with different collaborators (KASI, SpaceAble, Uliege, MOSS …) to better understand these phenomena and their potential impacts on human activities in space.
