Space Governance and the Tumbling Motion of Space Debris: A Sustainable Challenge
The rapid increase in the number of satellites and debris in low Earth orbit is challenging the international governance model for space activities. The United Nations' Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) has been handling space governance, but its consensus-based model and large size make progress slow. Efforts are underway to address space sustainability through alternative mechanisms, including the United Nations' Summit of the Future in 2024 and the development of binding agreements or widely adopted norms and guidelines. Other initiatives, such as the World Economic Forum's guidelines for mitigating orbital debris and the European Space Agency's Zero Debris Charter, aim to promote responsible space practices. However, the need for a global space government framework becomes increasingly urgent as low Earth orbit becomes more congested.
