Speaker
Description
Space traffic is currently managed by various public and private entities across the globe. They use various standards and languages and can typically provide their services only to selected space operators from like-minded countries. Additionally, they track space debris and are seeking to monetize the significant investments made in developing their capacities.
The United Nations serve as the depository of international space treaties and agreements, but they currently lack a mandate for the supervision of space activities. Similarly, the International Telecommunications Union is responsible for allocating frequencies and orbital slots, but it only addresses conflicts upon specific requests from its Member States, rather than maintaining ongoing supervision and coordination. This fragmented approach to space traffic management increases the risks of conjunctions, leading to the potential creation of new space debris. It also raises operational costs for satellite operators, who must perform more frequent collision avoidance maneuvers and account for the lack of coordination with some other space operators.
This situation is primarily due to the fact that none of the global space powers appear willing to entrust the monitoring of space traffic to an entity based in another space power. Similarly, States currently disagree on assigning this responsibility to an international organization.
In addition, the evolution of space activities presents new challenges for space traffic management. The proliferation of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations significantly increases the risk of collisions, bringing all space stakeholders closer to the Kessler Syndrome. These constellations also negatively impact scientists by disrupting the dark and quiet sky needed for observing Outer Space.
However, the 1967 Outer Space Treaty states the principles of cooperation and mutual assistance, as well as the duty to undertake appropriate international consultation before proceeding with any activity or experiment that would cause potentially harmful interference with activities of other States parties. On that basis, a lack of cooperation and consultation could well be considered as a fault in the meaning of the Convention on international liability for damages caused by space objects of 1972, implying therefore the responsibility of the launching States for damages in Outer Space.
A transversal and interdisciplinary approach is essential for resolving space traffic issues by addressing legal and diplomatic constraints and providing tools to those responsible for space maneuvers through a bottom-up approach. To create a common system, we must focus on what can and should be shared among all space actors, regardless of their activities, nature, or country of origin. This begins with establishing an operational point of contact for all space objects, enabling efficient communication with the person responsible for each object's guidance. While this doesn't guarantee a response, it ensures that the message reaches the right person within a defined time frame.
These points of contact must be rigorously monitored to ensure reliability, requiring resources to maintain high-quality services, including a closely managed inventory of space objects and a well-maintained directory of space actors. Trust cannot be achieved if this task is handled by a global space power; neutrality and transparency are crucial. Spacetalk can therefore play a pivotal role in space traffic management by leveraging its expertise, neutrality, and organizational skills.
