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Security in Space The Next Generation - UNIDIR

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loss of mission, or loss of life <strong>in</strong> the case of manned spacecraft. For manned<br />

fl ight orbits, space debris mitigation measures are highly relevant due to<br />

crew safety implications.<br />

A set of mitigation guidel<strong>in</strong>es has been developed by the Inter-Agency<br />

<strong>Space</strong> Debris Coord<strong>in</strong>ation Committee (IADC), refl ect<strong>in</strong>g the fundamental<br />

mitigation elements of a series of exist<strong>in</strong>g practices, standards, codes<br />

and handbooks developed by a number of national and <strong>in</strong>ternational<br />

organizations. <strong>The</strong> Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer <strong>Space</strong><br />

acknowledges the benefi t of a set of high-level qualitative guidel<strong>in</strong>es, hav<strong>in</strong>g<br />

wider acceptance among the global space community. <strong>The</strong> Work<strong>in</strong>g Group<br />

on <strong>Space</strong> Debris was therefore established (by the Scientifi c and Technical<br />

Subcommittee of the Committee) to develop a set of recommended<br />

guidel<strong>in</strong>es based on the technical content and the basic defi nitions of the<br />

IADC space debris mitigation guidel<strong>in</strong>es, tak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to consideration the<br />

United Nations treaties and pr<strong>in</strong>ciples on outer space.<br />

APPLICATION<br />

Member States and <strong>in</strong>ternational organizations should voluntarily take<br />

measures, through national mechanisms or through their own applicable<br />

mechanisms, to ensure that these guidel<strong>in</strong>es are implemented, to the<br />

greatest extent feasible, through space debris mitigation practices and<br />

procedures.<br />

<strong>The</strong>se guidel<strong>in</strong>es are applicable to mission plann<strong>in</strong>g and operation of newly<br />

designed spacecraft and orbital stages and, if possible, to exist<strong>in</strong>g ones.<br />

<strong>The</strong>y are not legally b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g under <strong>in</strong>ternational law.<br />

It is also recognized that exceptions to the implementation of <strong>in</strong>dividual<br />

guidel<strong>in</strong>es or elements thereof may be justifi ed, for example, by the<br />

provisions of the United Nations treaties and pr<strong>in</strong>ciples on outer space.<br />

SPACE DEBRIS MITIGATION GUIDELINES<br />

<strong>The</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g guidel<strong>in</strong>es should be considered for the mission plann<strong>in</strong>g,<br />

design, manufacture and operational (launch, mission and disposal) phases<br />

of spacecraft and launch vehicle orbital stages:<br />

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