Surge In Space Traffic: Earth Orbit Faces Satellite Congestion Crisis
With thousands of satellites already in orbit and millions of debris pieces from past missions, the risk of collisions is escalating rapidly in space.
Surge In Space Traffic: Earth Orbit Faces Satellite Congestion Crisis
The rapid increase in satellites and space junk in Earth's orbit has sparked concerns about a potential congestion crisis. With over 14,000 satellites, including 3,500 inactive ones, surrounding the globe in low Earth orbit, experts warn that urgent action is necessary to prevent collisions and ensure space safety.
The United Nations Panel on Space Traffic Coordination has advocated for a comprehensive shared database of orbital objects, as well as an international framework for their tracking and management. However, the lack of a centralised infrastructure and certain countries' reluctance to exchange data due to security concerns present substantial hurdles.
Congestion in low Earth orbit poses both a safety and cost danger. Projections indicate that hundreds of thousands more satellites will reach orbit in the next few years, increasing the likelihood of collisions. In fact, collisions are anticipated to pose a $556 million financial risk over five years.
Thus, there is a need for global cooperation to develop enforceable rules for space traffic management. The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs is working to bring together public- and private-sector experts to outline steps needed to start work on coordination.
