Space might seem an empty, vast expanse, but satellites in Earth's orbit face the constant risk of collision - with other satellites and rockets, dead or alive, or with fragments of their debris.

It is now routine for operators of spacecraft in busy highways to divert their mission out of harms way. In fact at ESA, each mission flown performs on average two 'collision avoidance manoeuvres' per year.

In this podcast, episode #3 in the ESA-UN space debris series, Benjamin Bastida Virgili and Hazuki Mori discuss the cost of these manoeuvres and what can be done.

While you listen, check out the corresponding ESA-UN infographic that illustrates this topic: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2021/02/The_cost_of_avoiding_collision

ESA & UNOOSA on space debris: The cost of avoiding collision

Followed by ESA | Cosmic Synth Explorer | Music for Interstellar Minds

B I S – Back in Space (Marcus Seitz) is an electronic sound explorer who blends analog warmth with futuristic vision to dissolve the boundaries between music and the cosmos. Using a carefully curated selection of synthesizers – including the Sequential Trigon-6, Sequential Pro 3, Sequential Take 5, Nordwave 2, Nord Lead 2X, Clavia Nordlead A1, and the iconic Korg Z1 – B I S crafts hypnotic sonic journeys that drift between galactic depth and emotional resonance.

His music is inspired by space travel, time dilation, and the dream of floating among the stars. Organic textures meet synthetic precision in a sonic language that moves effortlessly between ambient, space trance, and experimental electronica.

A unique milestone in his artistic journey: the European Space Agency (ESA) is among the select few who follow B I S on SoundCloud – a testament to the authenticity and depth of his cosmic vision.

Tracks like “Higher (Original Mix)” showcase his ability to build vast sonic landscapes with technical finesse and emotional clarity. B I S doesn’t just produce tracks – he charts acoustic star maps.

In addition to his music, Marcus Seitz designs VST skins for DiscoDSP, creatively bridging sound and visual aesthetics.

With every release, B I S invites listeners to leave the Earth behind – and return with open ears and an expanded mind.

Official SoundCloud channel of ESA - the European Space Agency. Most (not all) audio content here is licensed under CC BY-SA IGO 3.0. Please check individual credits to be certain. Can't find a track? Our channel used to be http://www.soundcloud.com/esaops - but not anymore. Try searching here for the track name or using keywords instead.