Tipping Points of Space Debris in Low Earth Orbit

Global Policy, 2021

The Earth's orbital space is increasingly threatened by debris. It is frequently described as a common-pool resource vulnerable to a 'tragedy of the commons' scenario. Scholars have suggested ambitious policy proposals to tackle the tragedy of space debris and assure the sustainability of the Earth's orbits. Their proposals can be classified into three categories: hierarchical regulations, economic incentives and property rights. All three categories require some form of central coordination. However, there might be an alternative approach to the problem and other potential solutions. Elinor Ostrom suggested that decentralized, polycentric systems are appropriate for governing common-pool resources. Anecdotal evidence suggests that a polycentric form of governance can encourage a more sustainable use of the Earth's orbits.

Since the launch of the Sputnik 1 in 1957, around 8,000 man-made space objects have been launched in space. While these space objects have given us satellites and space probes which have revolutionized the way we perceive modern life and outer space, the byproduct of this process has been the creation of excessive space debris. The problem created by the uncurbed and unintentional production of space debris has been escalating in the past couple of decades and the lack of binding legislation regarding this issue is alarming news for future generations who may not be able to utilise the outer space resources that international space agencies are misusing so casually. This paper attempts to analyse the existing legislation governing space debris and the consequences of the lack of pre-emptive and corrective measures to prevent a crisis caused by space debris.

Space Policy, 2014

Low earth orbit has become increasingly congested as the satellite population has grown over the past few decades, making orbital debris a major concern for the operational stability of space assets. This congestion was highlighted by the collision of the Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 satellites in 2009. This paper addresses the current state of orbital debris regulation in the United States and asks what might be done through policy change to mitigate risks in the orbital debris environment. A brief discussion of the nature of orbital debris addresses the major contributing factors including size classes, locations of population concentrations, projected satellite populations, and current challenges presented in using post-mission active debris removal to mitigate orbital debris. An overview of the current orbital debris regulatory structure of the United States reveals the fragmented nature of having six regulating bodies providing varying levels of oversight to their markets. A closer look into the regulatory policy of these agencies shows that, while they all take direction from The U.S. Government Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices, this policy is a guideline with no real penalty for non-compliance. Various policy solutions to the orbital debris problem are presented, ranging from a business as usual approach to a consolidated regulation system which would encourage spacecraft operator compliance. The positive aspects of these options are presented as themes that would comprise an effective policy shift towards successful LEO conservation. Potential economic and physical limitations to this policy approach are also addressed.

Journal of Air Law and Commerce, 2023

Describing the low Earth orbital environment (LEO) as a classical “tragedy of the commons” and drawing from studies conducted by NASA, the Government Accountability Office, the Congressional Budget Office, United Nations, and others, the purpose of this article is to tackle the question of who should pay when orbital debris “trickles down” in a manner that compromises Earth’s satellite-reliant infrastructure and otherwise causes damage to Earth’s environment, persons, and property. This article then recommends specific language to amend Title III of the Communications Act of 1934, which created and charged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with regulating commercial satellite systems, to establish a satellite constellation “orbital use fee” (OUF), which the FCC will levy as a requirement for receiving a license to operate in LEO. This OUF will then fund orbital debris remediation projects, related research, and remediation of the environmental impacts of satellite constellations.

International Journal of Disaster Risk Management, 2024

The rapid accumulation of space debris has emerged as a critical threat to global satellite infrastructure, jeopardizing essential services such as communications, navigation and real-time weather forecasting, which are fundamental to effective disaster management. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the multifaceted challenges posed by space debris, focusing on collision risks, Kessler Syndrome and the inherent vulnerabilities of satellite networks. It highlights significant gaps in existing international regulatory frameworks, underscoring the urgent need for stronger global coordination. While technological interventions such as Active Debris Removal (ADR) and enhanced Space Situational Awareness (SSA) show promise, they fall short when applied alone. A sustainable solution requires an integrated approach that combines innovative technologies such as on-orbit manufacturing and self-destruction systems with policy reforms that enforce stricter debris management protocols and encourage compliance with economic measures such as debris removal credits and orbital parking fees. China, European Union, the United States and some other countries have already begun the work needed to coordinate space activities, but the breadth of these efforts and rules varies from country to country, and the lack of ownership or control of space is a problem. Given the important role of satellites in disaster response, the protection of space assets is essential to sustaining global resilience. Ensuring long-term sustainability will depend on international cooperation, binding agreements and a collective commitment to preserve the orbital environment for future generations.

M. Madi, & O. Sokolova (eds), Space Debris Peril: Pathways to Opportunities: Capacity Building in the New Space Era. CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group, 2020

In recent years, space debris has become a matter of considerable importance within the public perception of spaceflight activities. As media coverage, outreach activities and stakeholder interest gain more and more relevance, so does the question how space debris can be understood as a sociotechnical challenge that contemporary and future societies depend-ing on space-based services need to address. Similar to problems like climate change or marine pollution, space debris appears as a sustainability issue of global magnitude that requires us to think about outer space in terms of a sus-tainable societal future. Yet, space debris also di ers from such seemingly comparable challenges in some regards, as, for example, it is only to be un-derstood within the context of recent space sector developments like the rise of New Space. Paying attention to security concerns as well as the specific ecological status of outer space environments, we outline possible avenues to painting a better picture of space debris’ role in contemporary public and policy debates. Bringing to the table a perspective influenced by Science and Technology Studies (STS), we thereby highlight space debris to be a bidirec-tional risk phenomenon. We conclude, that broader societal engagement in facing the challenge of space debris might be vital for handling it eÿciently and e ectively and propose potential vectors for stakeholder participation.

Journal of East Asia and International Law, 2019

Space debris is a global mounting ultimatum to the enduring maintainability of outer space activities. It ought to be managed from the very beginning. For the last couple of years, collisions have enhanced space debris accumulation, and the rate at which space activities have resulted in the production of debris is at a threshold position in a linear fashion. Ultimately, space has become the rendezvous of space debris. Considering the growing accumulation of debris and the emerging apprehension regarding a horrible strike and collapse of whole space programs, this paper focuses on the legal and administrative challenges. Both developing and developed countries realize the value of a competent regime that could administer, supervise, finance, and promote the research, examination, and development of outer space. Thus, this research suggests an autonomous, competent international space authority be established by a treaty or international agreement following the model of the deep seabed authority because it has similar natural resources but a geographically different location.

2020

Acta Astronautica, 2011

Science, Technology & Human Values, 2021

Like other forms of debris in terrestrial and marine environments, space debris prompts questions about how we can live with the material remains of technological endeavors past and yet to come. Although techno-societies fundamentally rely on space infrastructures, they so far have failed to address the infrastructural challenge of debris. Only very recently has the awareness of space debris as a severe risk to both space and Earth infrastructures increased within the space community. One reason for this is the renewed momentum of interplanetary space exploration, including the colonization of the Moon and Mars, which is part of transhumanist and commercially driven dreams of the so-called New Space age. Understanding space infrastructures as inherently linked to earthly infrastructure, we attend to the ways in which space debris, a once accepted by-product of scientific-technological progress, economic interests, and geopolitics,