Space Sustainability

Why in the News?

The fourth Space Sustainability Summit was held in London, U.K. in association with the Secure World Foundation.

Key Points:

Need for space sustainability:

• Space debris: After the completion of a mission, an ‘end-of-life protocol’ requires space objects to be moved to the graveyard orbit or to a low altitude. 
• Solar and magnetic storms: It might possibly harm communication systems. These risks from space weather must be taken into consideration together with efforts to calculate the carbon footprint of trips to other planets in space.
• Orbital crowding:It directly puts at risk the efficiency and safety of a mission and is likely to result in disputes over the law and insurance.

About the ‘Plan for Space Sustainability’:

• It Aims:

• • To establish a global commercial framework for the insurability, licensing and regulation of commercial satellites.
  • To lower the price for those that adhere to the best sustainability standards, promoting an industry ecology that is prospering.
• The strategy aims to promote sustainability on a global scale and provide the private sector a chance to create models that improve operational safety and reduce debris footprint.

Measure for the sustainability of outer space:

• United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS): To ensure the long-term sustainability of outer space, the United Nations COPUOS in 2019 adopted a set of 21 voluntary and non-binding guidelines.
• The U.K. Space Sustainability plan: Based on the Artemis Accords model for sustainable spcae exploration, it calls for an “Astro Carta” for space sustainability.
  • To review the regulatory framework of the U.K.’s orbital activity; 
  • To emphasise international engagement on space sustainability; 
  • To try and develop safety and quality-related metrics that quantify the sustainability of activities; and 
  • To induce additional funding for active debris removal.

India’s Stand on Space Sustainability:

• Project NETRA: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has started this project to monitor space debris. It is an early warning system in space to detect debris and other hazards to Indian satellites.
• SPADEX:  ISRO is designing a docking experiment called “SPADEX” to allow in-orbit service. It considers docking a satellite to another satellite, providing assistance with refuelling and other in-orbit services while boosting a satellite’s functionality.
• A new pact for monitoring space objects : India and the U.S. signed a new pact for monitoring space objects in April 2022 at the 2+2 dialogue. 

Way Forward:

• Collective efforts: All space player must come together to address the question of sustainablity.
• Role of international organisation: The role of the UN COPUOS or the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), is to set equitable standards for the ease of activities.
• Private sector: To ensure optimum utilisation of resources and increase the safety and productivity of missions,The private sector could be encouraged with a set of sustainability guidelines