The rise in satellites and space debris threatens low Earth orbit. Experts urge global cooperation on data sharing and regulation to prevent collisions, safeguard technology, and ensure sustainable use of space. Urgent action is needed to address this growing challenge.
The rapid growth in satellites and space debris risks rendering low Earth orbit (LEO) unusable without international cooperation and data sharing, experts have warned. United Nations panel on space traffic coordination recently called for urgent action, proposing a global database of orbital objects and a framework for their management.
Currently, over 14,000 satellites, including 3,500 inactive ones, and 120 million pieces of debris orbit Earth, according to Slingshot Aerospace. Only a fraction of this debris is trackable, and collisions are becoming increasingly likely.
Panel co-chair Aarti Holla-Maini, of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, stressed the need for shared information among operators to ensure space safety and prevent disruptions to vital global technologies.
Despite this urgency, a centralised system for all space-faring nations is lacking. Geopolitical tensions, security concerns, and commercial secrecy hinder progress.
Meanwhile, incidents like a Chinese rocket stage explosion in August and a defunct Russian satellite explosion in June have added thousands of debris fragments to LEO, intensifying the problem.
LEO, critical for commercial space activities due to its cost efficiency, is now congested. Starlink alone had over 6,700 satellites in orbit by November and performed 50,000 collision-avoidance manoeuvres in the first half of 2024, double the previous period. NorthStar Earth & Space estimates collision-related financial risks could reach $556 million over five years without effective regulations.
Global rules akin to those governing air traffic are seen as essential. Existing tools such as radars, telescopes, and databases can track objects, but geopolitical tensions and commercial sensitivities remain barriers. Current informal methods, reliant on data from bodies like the U.S. Space Force, lack consistency and accountability.
UN-led efforts aim to outline steps for international coordination and will present recommendations next year. “Speed and trust are the biggest challenges,” said Holla-Maini. “But global cooperation is essential to safeguard the future of outer space.”
Israeli forces have maintained a tight closure on Hebron in the occupied West Bank for a second day, with Palestinian media reporting home raids, m...
Around 11,000 people joined a demonstration in Orléans on Saturday against the National Rally congress, according to the local prefecture....
German police have detained a suspect after a major fire broke out at the historic Kehlsteinhaus, known as the “Eagle’s Nest&rdqu...
Israeli military bulldozers have begun demolishing buildings in the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday, 23 October, following armed clashes with Palestinians that left two Israeli soldiers dead, according to the Israeli military.
Around 11,000 people joined a demonstration in Orléans on Saturday against the National Rally congress, according to the local prefecture.
Typhoon Champi swept past Taiwan on Saturday, leaving one person dead and more than 500 injured as strong winds and torrential rain brought down trees, cut power and disrupted transport across the island.
A powerful magnitude 7 earthquake has struck Tibet in southwestern China, killing 16 people and injuring 65, while forcing more than 12,000 residents to relocate as rescue teams respond to widespread aftershocks.
Missile and drone attacks have put Saudi Arabia on high alert, disrupting life in Riyadh and testing a new defence pact with Türkiye and Pakistan as regional tensions escalate.
Around 11,000 people joined a demonstration in Orléans on Saturday against the National Rally congress, according to the local prefecture.
German police have detained a suspect after a major fire broke out at the historic Kehlsteinhaus, known as the “Eagle’s Nest”, a mountain retreat once used by senior Nazi officials, including Adolf Hitler.
Typhoon Champi swept past Taiwan on Saturday, leaving one person dead and more than 500 injured as strong winds and torrential rain brought down trees, cut power and disrupted transport across the island.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday dismissed accusations that Canada planned to interfere in next month’s U.S. midterm elections, saying he was disappointed by comments from the American ambassador.
Kenya has recorded a second death from Ebola, the health ministry said late on Friday, as the outbreak that began in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to spread across Africa.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment