UNOOSA

What responsibility do we have to recycle space waste?

Introduction

In an era when space exploration holds such significance and captures the interests of countless people, the sustainability of our activities, within and beyond Earth’s boundaries, has emerged as a pressing concern for all. The rapid expansion of space activities, whether for scientific discovery, space mining or satellite deployment, has led to a burgeoning accumulation of space debris, or “space waste”, in Earth’s orbit. The question of our responsibility towards space waste is not just academic curiosity; it is a matter of global significance that warrants careful consideration.

The aim of this research report and debate is to provide a comprehensive exploration surrounding the responsibilities towards space waste; touching on its origins and its ethical, legal and practical considerations that underpin our roles in managing this growing challenge.

Definition of Key Terms

Space Waste (Debris) - Refers to defunct human-made objects in the Earth’s orbit. Including unused satellites, spent rocket stages, fragments from previous collisions and other discarded items.
Upcycling - In terms of space waste, refers to practice of converting space debris into new and valuable assets.
Orbital Salvage - Similar to “upcycling”, the process of recovering and refurbishing defunct satellites, or other space objects, in orbit to bring them back into service.
Kessler Syndrome - A scenario in which the density of space debris in low Earth orbit becomes so high that collisions between objects create a cascading effect; thus generating more debris and making space activities increasingly hazardous.
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) - The region of space around Earth at altitudes roughly between 160 km and 2,000 km; a common location for satellites and the International Space Station.
Geostationary Orbit (GEO) - A circular orbit approximately 35,786 km above the Earth’s equator. Satellites in GEO remain fixed relative to Earth’s surface, making them ideal for communication and weather observation.
Space Situational Awareness (SSA) - The monitoring and tracking of objects in Earth’s orbit to predict their trajectories and potential collisions.

Background Information

Space waste is a growing and complex issue that has garnered international attention in recent years. It refers to the collection of defunct human-made objects, ranging from non-functional satellites and spent rocket stages to fragments generated by collisions or explosions, that currently orbit the Earth. Space debris poses significant challenges to the safety and sustainability of space activities and it is a pressing concern for the international community.

Historical Context: The accumulation of space debris traces its origins back to the dawn of the Space Age in the mid-20th century. As nations launched satellites and conducted space missions, they inadvertently left behind objects that remained in Earth’s orbit. Over time, this debris has continued to increase, driven by several factors:

Proliferation of Space Activities: The growth of space exploration, satellite technology and commercial space ventures has led to an ever-increasing number of objects being placed into Earth’s orbit.
Lack of Deorbiting Protocols: Many early satellites and rocket stages were not designed with built-in mechanisms for safe deorbiting at the end of their operational life. Consequently, these objects remain in orbit as space debris.
Fragmentation Events: Occasionally, collisions between space debris or anti-satellite (ASAT) tests by certain countries have resulted in the creation of smaller fragments, further exacerbating the space debris problem.

Environmental Impact: Space debris travels at extremely high velocities, posing a substantial risk to operational spacecraft, including satellites, the International Space Station and crewed missions. Even small fragments can cause catastrophic damage upon impact. The increasing population of space debris can jeopardise the long-term sustainability of space activities. It can limit available orbital slots, increasing the complexity of space missions and thus raising the cost of space operations.

Kessler Syndrome Concerns: The Kessler Syndrome, a theoretical concept proposed by Donald J. Kessler in 1978, warns of a potential chain reaction of collisions in space, leading to an exponential increase in debris and making some orbits hazardous or unusable.

Various space agencies and organisations, such as the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC), have developed guidelines and best practices for space debris mitigation and responsible space operations. One of these measures for example states that, “Any program, project or experiment that will release objects in orbit should not be planned unless an adequate assessment can verify the effect on the orbital environment, and the hazard to other operating space craft and orbital stages is acceptably low in the long-term.”

Relevant UN Treaties, Resolutions and Reports

United Nations Treaties and Principles on Outer Space - Collation of all relevant treaties and principles.

Previous Attempts to Solve the Issue

Various active debris removal (ADR) missions have been proposed and even conducted to remove defunct satellites and large pieces of space debris from orbit. An example is RemoveDEBRIS which was a satellite research project intending to demonstrate various space debris removal technologies. The RemoveDEBRIS satellite captured the debris in a net and then manoeuvred itself to fall into Earth’s atmosphere and burn up. This mission was the first successful in-orbit demonstration of a series of technologies for ADR.

Possible Solutions

The European Space Agency’s ClearSpace program started in 2020 and is planned for launch in 2026. This project focuses on developing and demonstrating technologies for ADR in Earth’s orbit; their first goal will be to capture the Vega Secondary Payload Adapter (Vespa), which was part of a launch in 2013.

Bibliography

What is Space Waste and why is it a problem?

A Brief History of Space Debris

Kessler Syndrome and the space debris problem

Environmental Impact of space debris and how can we solve it?

UNOOSA Space Debris Mitigation Guidlines

IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines

ClearSpace Debris Removal Mission

The extent to which we can extract outer planetary resources

Introduction

In recent years, the idea of harnessing resources from outer planets, moons and asteroids has captured the interest of scientists and engineers alike. As terrestrial resources become scarcer and space exploration technology advances, the prospect of resource extraction from outer planets is becoming widely more considered. This research report explored the feasibility and challenges associated with extracting resources from outer planets, considering key terms, background information, relevant UN treaties and solutions as well as potential solutions to address ethical, legal and technological concerns.

Definition of Key Terms

Outer Planetary Resource Extraction: the process of obtaining valuable materials, such as minerals, waters or gases from celestial bodies beyond earth including gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn and their moons, like Europa and Titan.
Resource utilisation: the sustainable utilisation of resources from outer planets to meet the needs of humanity, both on Earth and in space.
In-Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU): the practice of using materials available on a celestial body to support human activities, reducing the need to transport resources from Earth.
Astroethics: the ethical considerations surrounding space exploration and resource extraction, including environmental impact and preservation of celestial bodies.

Background Information

The exploration of outer planets and their moons has been a focus of both robotic missions and theoretical studies. Space agencies like NASA and ESA have conditioned missions to gather data about these celestial bodies, revealing evidence of water ice, hydrocarbons, and other potential resources. Such discoveries have ignited interest in the feasibility of resource extraction which could be crucial for supporting future deep space missions, sustaining colonies on other planets and even supplementing Earth’s resources.

Relevant UN Treaties, Resolutions and Reports

Outer Space Treaty (1967): this foundational treaty stipulates that outer space, including celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by an means, While it does not specifical address resource extraction, it emphasises that outer space should be used for the benefit of all countries and that international cooperation should be encouraged.

Moon Agreement (1984): this agreement elaborates on the Outer Space Treaty, declaring that the Moon and its resources are the ‘common heritage of mankind’. However, major spacefaring nations, including the United States, have not ratified this agreement due to concerns about stifling commercial development and innovation.

Report of the working group on the definition and delimitation of the outer space regime (2019): this report examines the legal framework for outer space activities, including resource extraction, It emphasises the need to balance property rights with the principles of cooperation and common benefit.

UNISPACE+50 (2018): this resolution reaffirms the significance of international cooperation in space exploration, emphasising the role of space technology and its potential to address global challenges, including resource scarcity.

Possible Solutions

International Collaboration: collaborative efforts between spacefaring nations and emerging space players could address resource extraction challenges while respecting international treaties. Frameworks similar to those established for Antarctica, such as the Antarctic treaty system, could serve as models for sharing resources and promoting responsible exploration,

Technology development: advancements in robotics, mining and resource processing technologies are essential to making resource extraction from outer planets feasible. Autonomous systems capable of remote mining and processing will be crucial to reduce human intervention and risk.

Astro Ethics and environment impact assessment: as resource extraction activities could impact celestial bodies and their ecosystems, thorough environmental impact assessments must be conducted. Incorporating astoethical principles into resource utilisation practices will ensure responsible and sustainable extraction.

In-Situ Resource Utilisation: the principle of ISRU can significantly mitigate the need to transport resources from earth, reducing the environmental and economic costs of space missions, water ice,

for instance, could be converted into hydrogen and oxygen for rocket fuel.

Commercial engagement with oversight: encouraging private sector involvement in outer planetary resource extraction while establishing transparent regulations and oversight mechanisms can balance economic interests with ethical and environmental considerations.

Bibliography

Outer Space Treaty. (1967). United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs.
Moon Agreement. (1984). United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs.
Working Group on the Definition and Delimitation of the Outer Space Regime. (2019). Report of the Working Group on the Definition and Delimitation of the Outer Space Regime.
UNISPACE+50. (2018). United Nations General Assembly.
Herzfeld, U. C. (2019). Celestial bodies as a source of mineral resources: How to address the legal and policy challenges.
Jakhu, R. S., & Froehlich, A. J. (2019). Space resource activities: Examining issues of legal governance. Davis, T. L. (2019). Mining the heavens: A framework for asteroid and celestial body mining regulation.
Schmitt, H. H. (2011). Property rights in outer space.
McKay, C. P. (2016). Space resources: A rationale for their utilisation and extent.
Bigg, E. K. (2020). The ethics of space exploration and exploitation: Colonialism and the struggle for freedom.
https://hir.harvard.edu/economics-of-the-stars/
https://www.jstor.org/stable/45290177
https://oro.open.ac.uk/69653/1/Cheney%20-%20J%20Space%20Law%20Article%20-%202.9.19.pdf
https://www.ft.com/content/78e8cc84-7076-11e7-93ff-99f383b09ff9

The Ethical Implications of interacting with intelligent life outside of Earth.

Introduction

Humans have always been explorers, wanting to know more about the world around them, below them and above them. Only 20% of the ocean has been explored, mapped and researched. We have explored 5% of our universe. This brings forward the questions of interacting with intelligent life outside of Earth; and the ethical and social implications. In the following report these issues will be discussed.

Definition of Key Terms

UNOOSA - United Nations Office of outer space affairs

OSMA - Office of Safety and Mission Assurance

Cosmonaut- Russian Astronaut

Background Information

Exploration of space

The ‘space race’ involving the USSR and the United States of America began in 1955 and lasted just over 20 years involving key parts of the developments of space travel. The first satellite in space was the Russian Sputnik 1, October 4, 1957; it is seen as inaugurating the start of space exploration. Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space, he was a cosmonaut and in 1961 he orbited the Earth once. Then 8 years later, with the Americans’ mission Apollo 11, on July 20th, 1969, 3 men took the first steps on a lunar surface. Since the first pioneering missions of space exploration others have taken place including; the launch of the Hubble telescope on April 25, 1990. The large reflecting telescope was the most sophisticated optical observatory ever to orbit Earth, and the photographs it collected ultimately revolutionised the field of astronomy. The first flight of a private spacecraft took place on June 21, 2004. The vehicle was flown by South African-born American test pilot Mike Melvill, who, in successfully soaring past the edge of space, became the first commercial astronaut-pilot.

Scholars’ discussion on possibility of intelligent life outside of Earth

Many scholarly articles have been published on this subject and none can come to a conclusion; there are firm believers in life outside of Earth and others refute the argument. So far there have been no interactions with intelligent life outside of earth. Stephen Hawking wrote “"We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn’t want to meet," Hawking said. "I imagine they might exist in massive ships ... having used up all the resources from their home planet. Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonise whatever planets they can reach.”

The search for Intelligent life outside of earth

For 60 years, scientists have been searching with radio telescopes, listening in for possible signals coming from other civilizations on planets orbiting distant stars. These efforts have largely been organised by the SETI institute in California — Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence — and so far, they’ve had no success. There is also a push from scientists to form the METI program — Messaging ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence. The METI receives funding to send signals far out into the solar system to hopefully receive a response.

However, there is pushback to the METI program. Lucianne Walkowicz, an astrophysicist at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago says “There’s a possibility that if we actively message, with the intention of getting the attention of an intelligent civilization, that the civilization we contact would not necessarily have our best interests in mind. On the other hand, there might be great benefits. It could be something that ends life on Earth, and it might be something that accelerates the ability to live quality lives on Earth. We have no way of knowing.”

The fact that there have been no signals yet does pose a conundrum. In a galaxy full of worlds, why isn't Earth crawling with alien visitors? The silence amid the presence of such plentiful planets is called the Fermi Paradox, named for the physicist Enrico Fermi, who first asked "Where is everybody?" in 1950. “We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn’t want to meet,” Hawking said in 2010. He has compared meeting aliens to Christopher Columbus meeting Native Americans: “That didn’t turn out so well,” he said.

Attempts so far include (aside from the METI program);

In 2008, NASA broadcast the Beatles tune “Across the Universe” toward Polaris, the North Star, commemorating the space agency’s 50th birthday, the 45th anniversary of the Deep Space Network, and the 40th anniversary of that song.
Later that year, a tech startup working with Ukraine’s space agency beamed pictures and messages to the exoplanet Gliese 581 c. Other, sillier messages to the stars have included a Doritos commercial and a bunch of Craigslist ads
The European Space Agency broadcaded 3,775 text messages toward Polaris.Those messages would take some 425 years to arrive

Other Implications that residents on Earth may face.

Introduction to unknown matter, that may cause disease
Accidental initiation of extraterrestrial war.
How to treat intelligent life.

Stakeholders

NASA - broadcast a signal, and has a dedicated department for handling extra terrestrial material brought back from explorations.
ESA - broadcast signals, and is working closely with other space agencies to minimise risk.
METI - Actively sending out signals and measuring a response/ lack of response.
SETI - They have been listening to the sounds of the solar system to see if messages are being sent from elsewhere.

Relevant UN Treaties, Resolutions and Reports

United Nations Treaties and Principles On Outer Space,- Collation of all relevant treaties

Previous Attempts to Solve the Issue

Thus far there have been no attempts to solve this issue, only possible scenarios in which measures would be taken and a meeting of UNOOSA would take place.

Possible Solutions

Look at creating a dedicated committee, or building a dedicated space to house intelligent life outside of Earth.
Look at what language the communication should be in.