International laws urgently needed to tackle space debris threat
More than 40,000 pieces of space debris are orbiting Earth, which, in the event of a collision, could cause significant damage to satellites or space stations. International laws are needed to address these issues, urged the head of the European Space Agency, Josef Aschbacher.
“There is no international law regulating the damage that space debris can cause,” said Josef Aschbacher, director of the European Space Agency (ESA), in a conversation with PAP. He added that many countries and institutions recognize an urgent need to create global regulations for space.
The head of ESA pointed out that some space regulations are almost 60 years old. For example, one of the first space treaties, the "Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies" from 1967, is still in force. It states, among other things, that outer space should be accessible to all and that neither it nor the celestial bodies within it can be claimed as property.
“However, reality has changed significantly since then. We have new technologies and many more satellites than in the '60s or '70s. Therefore, discussions are ongoing about updating or creating new legal acts,” said the ESA head.
Law and technological progress
According to the head of ESA, one of the most serious challenges today is space debris – fragments of old satellites and rockets that move in orbit at speeds nearing 17,000 miles per hour.
"More than 40,000 fragments larger than 10 cm are orbiting. There is no law at the international level that regulates the potential damage they might cause if they were to hit a satellite or space station," Aschbacher emphasized.
He reminded that the European Space Agency is a pioneer in efforts to organize outer space. In 2022, ESA established the Zero Debris Charter – a voluntary regulation stating that satellites should be de-orbited after completing their mission. Aschbacher mentioned that about 150 signatories have signed the charter so far, mainly from Europe, but also from New Zealand and Mexico. One of these is Amazon, which is developing the Kuiper satellite constellation.
Zero Debris Charter
The Zero Debris Charter aims to make near-Earth space free of debris by 2030. According to the head of ESA, this document could become the foundation for international rules on using outer space. It was prepared by engineers, scientists, lawyers, and policy experts. Many countries acknowledge the necessity of creating binding regulations as soon as possible.
He noted that there are mechanisms for monitoring satellites, but they are not regulated by law. "These are operational activities undertaken individually by operators. Since we know which satellites are in space and where they are located, it is possible to avoid collisions by maneuvers that change trajectories," Aschbacher explained.
