New Zealand's Risk Management Framework in Outer Space
- Paper number
IAC-20,E7,3,7,x56671
- Author
Dr. Maria A Pozza, New Zealand
- Year
2020
- Abstract
The development of space trafficking technology and pursuit of big data, which is made available as open-sourced data, are fundamental issues facing the international space legal community. The growing importance of information in the digital age, reminds us that access to space and protection of space-based assets will continue to remain a key global risk factor. For example, access to space is a key critical point for national security, agriculture, and a range of economically driven technology that allows for every-day functionality. The loss of access to space would cause critical global instability and insecurity. Protection of space-assets and mitigation of loss is an important consideration as new non-state actors join in the space market. New Zealand, with the assistance of a commercial entity, has recently implemented space trafficking technology that aims to decrease collision likelihood between space-assets and increase accuracy of debris-mapping. As a mitigating measure that reduces the risk of space-asset loss, New Zealand may very well become a leader in space-trafficking management. However, with all technology….comes new risks and legal concerns. Pre-emptive asset manoeuvring may cause commercial issues that could result in the loss of asset longevity, interference with radio transmissions, and potential issues with insurance. Equally, international relations may be affected by last-minute or unplanned manoeuvring that may require assets to orbit in close proximity to other assets. This paper aims to consider the positive and negative international legal concerns and risks that arise with advancement of space tracking technology using New Zealand as an example.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)