Space is now crowded with satellites in low Earth orbit.
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, WASHINGTON — A set of international rules is needed to address traffic problems space increasingly dense. According to Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US Department of Defense John Hill, space traffic is an international problem that needs attention.
“This is an important international and global issue,” said John Hill The national newsWednesday (7/12/2022).
Aerospace companies like SpaceX have launched the mega constellation of Starlink satellites. This has caused experts to worry about Earth’s dense orbit. Hill voiced these concerns on the final day of a conference discussing emerging trends in space geopolitics.
“Did one of the panels here at the Space Debate address questions about the sustainability of space and how does space traffic coordinate globally? There are no global rules there. So it’s really a matter of space operators,” Hill said.
Agreements such as the United Nations Outer Space Treaty and the current US-led Artemis Agreement promote the peaceful and responsible use of space and its resources. However, neither specifically addresses the issue of space traffic.
Space is crowded
Elon Musk’s SpaceX company has launched more than 2,300 satellites Stellar connection go to space. This has not been completed. SpaceX will still launch many satellites in the future. The company plans to operate around 30,000 satellites, with the goal of providing global Internet connectivity.
US regulators on Monday (5/12/2022) gave SpaceX the green light to launch another 7,500 Starlinks.
British company OneWeb is also planning to launch a huge constellation that will make the internet available in remote parts of the world. China also announced a proposal for a low-Earth orbit satellite Internet constellation.
Compact, low Earth orbit can increase the danger of a collision, especially for spacecraft that may encounter debris at higher altitudes.
On October 25, 2022, the thrusters of the International Space Station (ISS) were launched to avoid debris left by a satellite destroyed by a Russian anti-satellite test. The test, which used military-grade technology to destroy the spacecraft, created thousands of pieces of debris.
The conference in Abu Dhabi also discussed the need for regulations as companies increasingly want to commercialize space. Hill said the US space policy, a document available on linefocuses on private sector partnerships.
“Governments used to be the major players in space, and whether it was exploration or national security, they were the ones driving innovation and most of the market,” he said.
While right now he said, more ad-driven. The sustainability of space is important to all civil, commercial and military space operators.
