Abstract: Currently, the outer space is congested with innumerable number of space debris that were created since the first space launch in 1957. It is reported that more than 35,000 pieces of size more than 10 cm; more than 10,00,000 pieces of size between 1cm to 10 cm and tens of millions of particles of size < I cm are orbiting at high velocities in outer space. Interestingly, the concept of space debris was NOT thought of when the United Nations Treaties on Outer Space activities were formulated during 1967 to 1972 and hence the unmindful accumulation of space debris were not realized by the initial phase players. Today, it has become a major challenge to the outer space activities of all nations. The term space debris is later defined as, ‘All non-functional, human-made objects, including fragments and elements thereof, in Earth orbit or re-entering into Earth’s atmosphere’.
Keller’s Syndrome:
The ill effect of space debris, was realised by the space community in 1978 through an academic paper published by an American astrophysicist, Donald Kessler. It was named after him as Kessler Syndrome, which was defined as a theoretical, cascading chain reaction of space debris collisions in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) that generates an exponential increase in debris, potentially making space unusable.
Initiatives on Space debris Mitigation Measures:
The Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) an international, inter-agency forum was officially formed on October 25, 1993, to address, research, and coordinate strategies regarding man-made and natural debris in Earth's orbit. The IADC adopted the space debris mitigation guidelines in October 2002, which was endorsed by the UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) in 2007. But the IADC guidelines were meant for voluntary implementation by spacefaring nations and hence not legally binding. Thus, these guidelines were not effective in controlling the further growth of space debris. Over the period, with the increase in number of space launches / spacecraft and number of space players, the outer space environment is deteriorating further.
Remedial Measures:
Having seen the ineffectiveness of the debris mitigation guidelines, the attention of space agencies and researchers focused on Active Debris Removal (ADR) technologies such as collecting the debris with a net, docking systems, High power lasers etc. Some agencies have shown some results on experimental basis only. Nevertheless, certain legal and policy issues were foreseen in implementing such methods. Parallelly, the use of Rendezvous and Docking technologies are explored for ‘on-orbit servicing’ of dead satellites. A private company has successfully performed this experiment on a dead satellite, in the recent past.
Ultimately, in order to protect of outer space environment for performing unhindered space activities by every nation, ‘Fair & Responsible use’ of outer space by all the spacefaring nations with due regards to the space activities other nations is the need of the hour.
About the speaker: Mr. V. Gopalakrishnan is an Adjunct Faculty at ISSSP, NIAS. He has served in Indian Space Research Organization over 30 years in various areas - initially at Satellite Centre in Project Management, Intellectual Property Rights Management, Technology Transfer, Space Industry Co-operation and later at ISRO HQ in Space Law & Policy, Space Security, Space Technology Export Control matters and International Co-operation. As a member of Indian Delegation, he has participated in various international meetings on Space matters such as UNCOPUOS, UN Institute for Disarmament Research, Technical Experts Meeting of missile Technology Control Regime and so on. As a member of International Institute of Space Law (IISL), Paris, he is actively working on capacity building in Space Law among Indian law students. He is a Fellow of Institution of Engineers (India).
As a member of International Strategic and Security Programme at NIAS, he actively contributes in the conduct of the annual Space Course on various Themes, NIAS-CISAC (USA) annual meetings, Institutional Interactions with NTRO, ISRO on strategic security topics. He is a co-PI in a project sponsored by DRDO on export control issues