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space powers are developing ideas for asteroid deflection, and the
Association of Space Explorers has even brought it before UN, yet the Code
is silent on this tremendously important matter. A code sympathetic to these
ends would direct timely notification of any knowledge of a potential natural
impact event, or any intention to alter the orbit of a celestial body such as an
asteroid or comet by a state or any commercial or non-governmental
organisation operating under its flag or subject to its laws which could affect
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the safety of Earth's biosphere or safety of navigation.
Active Debris Remediation (ADR)
Responsible actors do not just refrain from irresponsible actions; they also
take responsible actions to proactively improve the environment for legal
commerce and human activity. A code should incentivise contributions to the
global public goods. With the anticipated vast expansion in launch activity
likely to occur with the forthcoming revolutions in re-usable launch vehicles
and hybrid launch systems and associated new markets (space tourism,
propellant, space-resource utilisation equipment, space-solar power, space
habitats), merely refraining from debris-creating practices is going to be
insufficient to prevent the Kessler Syndrome—where the density of debris
and space objects mean that more collisions happen, creating still more
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collisions in a runaway effect. Such a syndrome can only be avoided if we
vastly scale back our ambitions or develop an active debris remediation
capability. The Code fails to establish as a purpose or provide instruction for
states to encourage the creation of a cooperative active debris remediation
capability. No encouragement is provided for an actuarial/insurance-based
/or private/public-private-partnership approach.
While the Code is laudable in its emphasis on the problems of space debris,
the language would be more satisfying if its language had a deeper
acknowledgement of the concern for human life and habitation in space,
anticipating a future of commercial space on-orbit facilities (“space tourists”)
and eventually large on-orbit habitats. Designs for such habitats date to the
1970s and are the subject of annual student design competitions such as the
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Asian Regional Space Settlement Design Competition as well international
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competitions sponsored by NASA and the NSS where students from
China, India and Japan regularly compete.
A Code that has a
positive vision of
commerce in space
would have an explicit
mention of the
expansion of human
commerce. Its
guiding principles
would affirm proper
respect for the
activities of
commercial firms. It
would be specific
about responsibility of
states to regulate
non-governmental
commercial activities
and the safety and
security of citizens
chartered from their
states.
What's in a Code?: Putting Space Development First | www.orfonline.org 33