Global push for cooperation as space traffic crowds Earth orbit

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.”

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