There are no binding #international rules governing the management and prevention of the growth of debris in space . Space-faring countries have established #guidelines, but they are not sufficient to guarantee a #sustainable space environment. https://www.internationalinsurance.org/insights_cyber_the_space_debris_dilemma

The management of common pool resources depends crucially on the existence and effectiveness of the #rules and institutions to govern their use.
For #space activities, this translates into human activities potentially littering Earth’s orbits beyond sustainable limits, creating #SpaceDebris that could reduce the value of space activities by increasing the risk of damaging collisions and requiring mitigation actions. https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2020/04/space-sustainability_a2d8e17f/a339de43-en.pdf

Uncontrolled reentries of space objects create a collision risk with aircraft in flight. The highest-density regions have a 0.8% chance per year of being affected. This rate rises to 26% for larger areas of #airspace, such as that found in the #US , #Europe , or around major cities in the #AsiaPacific region. The collision risk could be mitigated if controlled reentries into the ocean were required for all missions. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-84001-2

Around 100 nations are involved in varying levels of #space activity. Since the 1950s, almost 20,000 #satellites have been launched into Earth’s orbit. These satellites bring immense benefits to #society, from monitoring ecosystems and supporting global #communications, to facilitating services such as satellite #television and contactless bank card payments. However,...https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/news/a-sustainable-development-goal-for-space

#BlueOrigin appears to be publicly signaling the #FAA and other regulatory agencies that it believes #NewGlenn is ready to fly, pending approval to conduct a hot fire test at Launch Complex-36, and then for a liftoff from Florida https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/12/intrigue-swirls-as-blue-origin-races-toward-year-end-deadline-for-new-glenn

Collision-avoidance maneuvers are not uncommon around the #moon . The #Korea Aerospace Research Institute (#KARI) received 40 "red alarms" of potential collisions . There is currently no international protocol to resolve collision risks. "Sometimes, we did not have the contact information of the responsible personnel, and network security issues occasionally prevented email exchanges" https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/indias-chandrayaan-2-moon-orbiter-avoids-collision-with-south-koreas-danuri-spacecraft

The world needs a new convention governing space conduct. Treaties forged in the 1960s and 1970s prohibit countries from touching another’s material. An exception for cleaning up trash is in order, along with general rules about orbital cleanliness and garbage disposal https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/interactive/2024/space-trash-debris-spacex

#Newsom indicated he broadly agreed with the lawsuit and that the independent agency should have confined its debate to the merits of the permit rather than engage in a discussion of #Musk’s political activities. https://www.politico.com/news/2024/10/18/elon-newsom-musk-california-spacex-00184408

#SpaceX has sued a #California commission in federal court, accusing panel members of #political bias in blocking the space venture company from increasing the number of rockets it launches from a U.S. air base in the state. The commission on Wednesday declined to comment. https://www.reuters.com/legal/musks-spacex-sues-california-panel-alleges-political-bias-over-rocket-launches-2024-10-16/

The news will put pressure on the #Australian #SpaceAgency to grant it the crucial permit it had been hoping to receive six months ago .
Founder Adam Gilmour has been hugely critical of the Space Agency’s handling of the situation, arguing the pushback was “more them than us” and even suggesting that officials were concerned that its #Eris launch vehicle could hit a passing ship https://www.spaceconnectonline.com.au/launch/6340-gilmour-ready-for-launch-despite-permit-delay

#SpaceForce officials don’t have to obtain a permit or permission from the #California Coastal Commission for rocket launches; they only need to reach an agreement to mitigate the effects.

But commissioners in recent months have questioned whether #SpaceX launches, which carry private #Starlink equipment on up to 87% of their flights, should be considered private activity. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-10-11/la-me-spacex-coastal-commission

There are multiple potential futures that could arise from a lack of collaboration in #SpaceGovernance. Without further cooperation and agreement among the major and minor #SpacePowers, multiple, competing governance systems may end up being established, further increasing the potential for #conflict https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2022/11/governance-in-space-mining-the-moon-and-beyond.html

#SpaceAgencies and private companies are planning bases, scientific experiments and mining operations on the #moon . Whatever the #ArtemisAccords decide, Russia and China are not about to sign up.
A second effort at lunar governance is emerging at #Copuos*. Its new working group is mulling rules on the extraction of natural resources from celestial bodies https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/mar/25/bases-experiments-mining-the-race-to-protect-the-surface-of-the-moon

* https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/copuos/index.html

About 9,000 #satellites orbit Earth but the number is likely to exceed 60,000 by 2030. The trend is largely the result of a shift towards mega-constellations of small satellites. #SpaceX has launched more than 3,000 #Starlink satellites into the most congested #LEO and is on course to hit 12,000 by 2026 https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/mar/09/global-treaty-space-debris-earth-orbit-junk

While the #OuterSpaceTreaty offers broad principles to guide the activities of nations, it does not offer detailed “rules of the road.” Essentially, the treaty assures freedom of exploration and use of space to all humankind. There are just two caveats to this, and multiple gaps immediately present themselves. https://edition.cnn.com/2022/01/03/world/space-law-united-nations-partner-scn/index.html

The #European Commission is expected to propose the world's first comprehensive #SpaceLaw after Easter https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-wants-make-space-safe-law-label-boring/

#RAND 2023 "The world is approaching a #SpaceTraffic management tipping point" https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RBA1949-1.html

Picture : https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RRA2200/RRA2208-2/RAND_RRA2208-2.pdf

Kathy Lueders, SpaceX's general manager : "It would be great if we were in the first quarter. Elon obviously would probably say the end of December, but I don’t think we’ll get there.”

#SpaceX has yet to receive regulatory approval for a third launch of #Starship https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/12/spacex-completes-static-fire-test-in-push-toward-third-starship-launch/

In #Florida, “the closure of airspace to accommodate commercial #SpaceLaunches now happens often enough to noticeably affect #airline schedules. The ability to regulate #airspace for safety must meet the increasing demand on the use of the airspace.”
The #FAA has already been able to reduce the average amount of time that airspace must be closed, from over four hours to just over two hours.
A prototype for the SDI* tool was installed at the FAA Command Center in June 2021. A final investment decision on a streamlined system integrated into existing air traffic systems isn’t expected until 2027 https://fedscoop.com/faa-space-data-integrator-program-air-traffic-control/

* #SpaceData Integrator

Since all launch vehicles are specialized - and literally #RocketScience - the #FAA believes operators are best suited to sniff out root causes and identify corrective actions. The agency estimates that in-house investigations could take the agency 10-20 times longer .
As for #HumanSpaceflight / tourism, the industry has been operating under an eight-year “learning period,” where the FAA is restricted from enacting regulations. The learning period is set to expire on Jan. 1 https://payloadspace.com/the-gao-calls-for-the-faa-to-improve-its-mishap-investigation-process/