Outer Space and the Environment
- Paper number
IAC-07-E6.3.01
- Author
Dr. Eligar Sadeh, U.S. Air Force Academy, United States
- Year
2007
- Abstract
The focus of this paper is on the unique environmental concerns that relate to outer space. A number of concerns are examined herein, from the links between space and the environment on Earth, the orbital environment, to the environment of space beyond the orbital paths of space assets. Within this context, several important questions are discussed, and include: what critical roles will space play to the advancement of life on Earth and in the future of humanity; how susceptible are civil, commercial, and military space assets to interference, disablement, and destruction from environmental threats in space; what is the importance of environmental protection to scientific exploration; and what are the political and legal paths to collective action as a result of dealing with environmental concerns. The environmental degradation of the Earth and anthropogenic influences on global climate change directly relate to the advancement of life on Earth and the future of humanity. The exploitation of natural resources is linked to economic stress, instability, and potential conflict. Earth observations from space play a role in monitoring and helping to assess changes in the Earth’s environment that can then be applied to address potential instabilities. The first part of the paper begins with a discussion of environmental security and illustrates what are the global environmental dangers. Environmental security as applied in this paper involves conflict prevention and loss of state authority or control over sovereignty due to national, regional, and global environmental factors. Conflict prevention is examined through the role of international and regional environmental agreements, and the role of Earth observation satellites in monitoring the global environment. The loss of state authority is scrutinized through an assessment of Earth observations in the civil and commercial sectors. Within the Earth’s orbital environment, there are the threats to space assets as a result of orbital debris, and by Near Earth Objects that may impact the Earth. This part of the paper probes these issues. In relation to orbital debris, the evolution of the issue is surveyed, and the political and legal paths by which the orbital debris problem is managed is explained. The issue of Near Earth Objects is one of providing for planetary defense, an important end to ensure the advancement of life on Earth. Planetary defense is looked into as it is relevant to detection and mitigation strategies to deal with the threats. The protection of the environment in space also deals with making sure that harmful contamination in space, on planetary bodies for example, and any contamination as a consequence of introducing extraterrestrial matter to Earth are prevented or managed. This issue, of what is called planetary protection, is discussed in the last part of the paper.
- Abstract document