ESA Calls for International Space Traffic Law

The European Space Agency (ESA) has raised concerns over the rapidly increasing number of satellite constellations in space, warning of the heightened risk of collisions that could trigger a cascade of reactions and result in severe damage.

ESA's Director-General, Josef Aschbacher, issued the warning in Berlin and recommended the implementation of a globally applicable space traffic law.

Currently, there are around 8,800 active satellites orbiting Earth, with SpaceX leading as the largest operator with over 5,000 Starlink satellites in orbit and plans for around 42,000 more.

Companies such as OneWeb, SpaceX, Blue Origin, and many others, including Chinese firms, are planning to launch tens of thousands of new satellites, many weighing between 150 and 1,200 kilograms, at the most cost-effective rates.

ESA has set a goal to significantly reduce space debris by 2030. Aschbacher emphasized that every satellite launched into space should be removed from orbit at the end of its operational life.

China's deliberate destruction of a weather satellite in 2007, rendering it inoperable, highlighted the potential damage that space debris can cause. 

China's actions are estimated to have generated over 40,000 pieces of debris larger than one centimeter in diameter.