Preservation of Near-Earth Space for Future Generations

Cover......Page 1
Frontmatter......Page 2
Contents......Page 8
List of contributors......Page 10
Preface......Page 12
SECTION I - INTRODUCTION......Page 14
1 - Introduction......Page 16
SECTION II - DEFINING THE PROBLEM......Page 18
2 - The Earth Satellite Population: Official Growth and Constituents......Page 20
3 - The Current and Future Environment: An Overall Assessment......Page 32
4 - The Current and Future Space Debris Environment as Assessed in Europe......Page 50
5 - Human Survivability Issues in the Low Earth Orbit Space Debris Environment......Page 69
6 - Protecting the Space Environment for Astronomy......Page 84
7 - Effects of Space Debris on Commercial Spacecraft -- The RADARSAT Example......Page 90
8 - Potential Effects of the Space Debris Environment on Military Space Systems......Page 97
SECTION III - MITIGATION OF AND ADAPTATION TO THE SPACE ENVIRONMENT: TECHNIQUES AND PRACTICES......Page 108
9 - Precluding Post-Launch Fragmentation of Delta Stages......Page 110
10 - U.S. International and Interagency Cooperation in Orbital Debris......Page 116
11 - ESA Concepts for Space Debris Mitigation and Risk Reduction......Page 121
12 - Space Debris: How France Handles Mitigation and Adaptation......Page 127
13 - Facing Seriously the Issue of Protection of the Outer Space Environment......Page 131
14 - Space Debris -- Mitigation and Adaptation......Page 134
15 - Near Earth Space Contamination and Counteractions......Page 138
16 - The Current and Future Space Debris Environment as Assessed in Japan......Page 141
17 - Orbital debris Minimization and Mitigation Techniques......Page 145
SECTION IV - ECONOMIC ISSUES......Page 158
18 - In Pursuit of a Sustainable Space Environment: Economic Issues in Regulating Space Debris......Page 160
19 - The Economics of Space Operations: Insurance Aspects......Page 172
SECTION V - LEGAL ISSUES......Page 176
20 - Environmental Treatymaking: Lessons Learned for Controlling Pollution of Outer Space......Page 178
21 - Regulation of Orbital Debris -- Current Status......Page 193
22 - Who Should Regulate the Space Environment: the Laissez-Faire, National, and Multinational Options......Page 202
SECTION VI - A MULTILATERAL TREATY......Page 212
23 - Orbital Debris: Prospects for International Cooperation......Page 214
24 - Preservation of Near Earth Space for Future Generations: Current Initiatives on Space Debris in the United Nations......Page 218
25 - A Legal Regime for Orbital Debris: Elements of a Multilateral Treaty......Page 227
SECTION VII - PANEL DISCUSSIONS......Page 240
26 - Panel Discussion led by Diane Wood......Page 242
27 - Panel Discussion led by Paul Uhlir......Page 245
28 - Suggested Further Reading on Orbital Debris......Page 261