Experts warn that the growing number of satellites and space debris in low Earth orbit threatens critical technologies like telecommunications and GPS, highlighting the urgent need for international cooperation between nations and companies to manage space effectively.
Low Earth orbit is the most crowded region of space, and an increasing number of space companies prefer it for its balance of cost and proximity.
This orbit now contains over 14,000 satellites, of which 3,500 are inactive, along with 120 million pieces of debris, including fragments from launches, collisions, and degradation. Only a few thousand pieces are large enough to be tracked reliably.
The UN advocates for the establishment of a database and rules for space management, but progress is stalled by geopolitical tensions and security concerns.
The risk of congestion lies in the potential for collisions. Avoidance maneuvers are increasingly frequent, with SpaceX’s Starlink satellites alone performing 50,000 maneuvers in early 2024. A collision could disrupt critical Earth-based technologies and cause economic losses estimated at $556 million over five years.
The UN has proposed the creation of a unified database, which does not currently exist, along with the establishment of rules for space management, similar to those for air traffic. However, geopolitical tensions, security concerns among states, and commercial confidentiality concerns from some companies continue to obstruct progress.
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