This volume is based upon an interdisciplinary Symposium held in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the University of Chicago, 24–26 June 1992. The motivation for choosing as the topic the preservation of space was a personal one. The task of preserving the space around Earth for scientific, commercial or governmental spacecraft to survive without collisions with man-made debris or interference from radioactive materials, will become a challenge to all sparefaring nations as we enter the 21st Century.

An advisory group, consisting of Don Kessler, Paul Uhlir and Diane Wood, was formed in 1990 to determine the scope of the proposed Symposium and to assist in the selection of contributors. The feasibility study was supported by the Midwest Center of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. It became clear that this was, indeed, a pending crisis which could only by attacked by all spacefaring nations working together.

The individual contributions to this volume were based upon commissioned papers made available to all the speakers before the Symposium. Edited versions of two discussion sessions were included since they raised some issues or presented points of view beyond those in the commissioned papers. Contributors from both government and private institutions participated; the views they have expressed are their own and do not necessarily represent those of their respective organizations or nations.