Near misses reflect need for new treaty to keep space safe

Beijing has complained to the United Nations about satellites endangering its space station and ambitious plans by firms will only increase the risk of collisions

SCMP Editorial

Published: 11:30pm, 29 Dec 2021

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Beijing’s complaint to the United Nations about satellites twice endangering the Chinese space station Tiangong was a timely reminder of the increasing risks posed by objects orbiting Earth. Deft manoeuvring by the astronauts on board was claimed to have prevented collisions with craft launched by the American commercial aerospace company SpaceX.

The firm is among several with ambitious plans to create constellations numbering hundreds and even thousands for uses including communications, digital connectivity, monitoring and research. But the greater the activity, the higher the risk of accidents, space debris and even sabotage, necessitating better laws and stronger governance.

The note to the UN’s Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space was a rare insight into the hazards posed by material circling hundreds of kilometres above the Earth’s surface. On July 1 and October 21, satellites in SpaceX’s Starlink programme were said to have come so close to Tiangong that its crew could have been endangered.

The movement of the two craft was claimed to have been so erratic and unpredictable that collision avoidance measures had to be implemented. China reminded parties to the Outer Space Treaty of their promise that governments and private agencies had to “bear international responsibility for activities in outer space”.

A trail from a group of Starlink satellites, which have been accused of approaching China’s space station. Photo: AFP

Collisions occur from time to time in space, but are growing in frequency. Satellites have become smaller, cheaper and easier to make, enabling more people to afford to produce and send them into space. In the forefront is technology tycoon Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which already has 1,900 circling the Earth and eventually plans 42,000, who is locked in a race with fellow entrepreneurs Jeff Bezos of Blue Origin and Richard Branson of Virgin Galactic.

China has been equally enthusiastic with its space drive, launching more rockets in 2021 than any other year, five of them involving manned missions. But that also makes it a major contributor to space junk and the United States has claimed the International Space Station has several times had to dodge debris allegedly originating from a Chinese military anti-satellite test in 2007.

Collisions in space can send rubble at high speed in all directions, endangering satellites and existing and future missions.

Ways to track satellites and debris need to improve and be better coordinated among governments. Removing junk is the next step. But in an increasingly complex environment, the most important piece of space law, the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, also needs to be revised or perhaps even replaced by a new pact.

Low orbit space, increasingly crowded and congested by technology seen as essential for the world’s development, has to be kept orderly and safe.