The history of space debris mitigation efforts at the international level
- Paper number
IAC-17,E4,2,5,x39191
- Year
2017
- Abstract
The mitigation of space debris is becoming of increasing importance for the sustainability and safety of space activities. While in recent years the topic has gained popularity as outer space becomes more and more crowded, the issue of space debris has been discussed at the international level for several decades. This paper analyses the historical development of space debris mitigation efforts undertaken in the international arena. This includes discussions and work carried out with regard to space debris mitigation at the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space during the 1980s and 1990s, the elaboration of debris mitigation guidelines and standards in multilateral fora and international organisations, such as the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee, the International Telecommunication Union, the International Organisation for Standardisation and the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space as well as more recent initiatives, such as the International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities and the Working Group on the Long-term Sustainability of Space Activities. The paper moreover examines the reaction and behaviour of states in response to international efforts regarding space debris mitigation and analyses which initiatives were successful and which factors contributed to their respective success or failure.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)