The impression of an unwanted space artist in orbit
Mark Garlick / Photo Library / Alamy science
The growing threat of space waste should be addressed by a new global agreement to protect the orbit from the land, say a group of researchers who call on the United Nations to protect space a key international objective.
Although there are existing directives to be tackled spatial debrisLike the United Nations Treaty of 1967, researchers, writing in the journal A landCall to other measures to “increase awareness of the use of orbital resources and the growing risks of orbital pollution, while sending a strong message that the orbit of the earth is not disconnected with the earth”.
More specifically, the team proposes that the protection of the space be added Sustainable development objectives (ODD), which are 17 major objectives set for Member States to be achieved by 2030. These include eradication of poverty, promotion of quality education and gender equality, to ensure access to affordable and clean energy, and to attack climate change “they have been set up to provide a sustainable future”, declared the member of the team Heather Koldewey to the Zoological Society of London. “But there is nothing for space.”
To correct this, the researchers want to add an 18th The SDGs, with promises that include the guarantee of satellites and rockets are removed from the orbit at the end of their useful life to prevent collisions and the creation of new debris, and the introduction of fines and legislation to ensure responsibility. “We know in the oceans that the removal of debris once it is extremely difficult,” says Koldewey. “We want to prevent the same thing from happening in space.”
The number of active orbit satellites has exploded in recent years, from less than 3000 in 2020 to more than 10,000 today. Most of this increase fell to around 7,000 satellites that make up Starlink Space Internet Mega Constellation. Several thousand others are planned by other companies and countries, including Amazon and ChinaBecause they create their own large constellations. In addition to that, there are thousands of empty rockets in orbit around the earth and millions of spaces of space.
Including space debris in an 18th The ODDs could enhance the profile of the problem, says Christopher NewmanSpatial lawyer at the University of Northumbria, United Kingdom. “Anything that makes space debris aware must be a good thing,” he says. However, he says that making countries act is more difficult. “If we get an 18th SDG, what is the next step? he said.
Hugh LewisAn expert in space debris at the University of Southampton, in the United Kingdom, says that the creation of an ODD focused on space would be a “valid enterprise”. However, he adds that there are already ongoing mechanisms to fight against space debris, such as the United Nations Long -term sustainable objectives For the activity of the outdoor space and more localized actions, as in the United States, where the Federal Commission for Communications has introduced a five -year rule To eliminate the dead satellites from the orbit. “It is difficult to argue that it is not already on the agenda of the United Nations,” explains Lewis.
There is also the question of whether the SDGs achieve their goals. Last year, the UN indicated that Less than a fifth Targets set out in the 17 existing ODDs were on the right track.
In addition to that, the elephant in the room is that nothing significant can occur without the agreement of SpaceX and its owner, Elon Musk. “You can't talk about space governance without talking about it now,” said Newman. “We can no longer watch the Member States.”
