The Urgent Need for Regulation of Satellite Mega-constellations in Outer Space PDF
Preview The Urgent Need for Regulation of Satellite Mega-constellations in Outer Space
SpringerBriefs in Law Scott Millwood The Urgent Need for Regulation of Satellite Mega-constellations in Outer Space SpringerBriefs in Law SpringerBriefs present concise summaries of cutting-edge research and practical applications across a wide spectrum of fields. Featuring compact volumes of 50 to 125 pages, the series covers a range of content from professional to academic. Typical topics might include: (cid:129) A timely report of state-of-the art analytical tech- niques(cid:129)Abridgebetweennewresearchresults,aspublishedinjournalarticles,and a contextual literature review (cid:129) A snapshot of a hot or emerging topic (cid:129) A presen- tationofcoreconceptsthatstudentsmustunderstandinordertomakeindependent contributionsSpringerBriefsinLawshowcaseemergingtheory,empiricalresearch, andpracticalapplicationinLawfromaglobalauthorcommunity.SpringerBriefsare characterizedbyfast,globalelectronicdissemination,standardpublishingcontracts, standardized manuscript preparation and formatting guidelines, and expedited pro- ductionschedules Scott Millwood The Urgent Need for Regulation of Satellite Mega-constellations in Outer Space ScottMillwood InternationalInstituteofAirandSpaceLawatLeidenUniversity Leiden,Netherlands InternationalInstituteofSpaceLaw(IISL) Paris,France ISSN2192-855X ISSN2192-8568 (electronic) SpringerBriefsinLaw ISBN978-3-031-19248-7 ISBN978-3-031-19249-4 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19249-4 ©TheAuthor(s),underexclusivelicensetoSpringerNatureSwitzerlandAG2023 Thisworkissubjecttocopyright.AllrightsaresolelyandexclusivelylicensedbythePublisher,whether thewholeorpartofthematerialisconcerned,specificallytherightsoftranslation,reprinting,reuseof illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similarordissimilarmethodologynowknownorhereafterdeveloped. Theuseofgeneraldescriptivenames,registerednames,trademarks,servicemarks,etc.inthispublication doesnotimply,evenintheabsenceofaspecificstatement,thatsuchnamesareexemptfromtherelevant protectivelawsandregulationsandthereforefreeforgeneraluse. The publisher, the authors, and the editorsare safeto assume that the adviceand informationin this bookarebelievedtobetrueandaccurateatthedateofpublication.Neitherthepublishernortheauthorsor theeditorsgiveawarranty,expressedorimplied,withrespecttothematerialcontainedhereinorforany errorsoromissionsthatmayhavebeenmade.Thepublisherremainsneutralwithregardtojurisdictional claimsinpublishedmapsandinstitutionalaffiliations. ThisSpringerimprintispublishedbytheregisteredcompanySpringerNatureSwitzerlandAG Theregisteredcompanyaddressis:Gewerbestrasse11,6330Cham,Switzerland For my son, who lives among the stars Foreword Thisbookwillnotbeuncontroversial.Andthatispreciselythegiftofitsauthor,who I met when he embarked upon a sabbatical year studying the Masters of Air and SpaceLawatLeiden University,whereIteachspace lawtostudentsfromallover the world. As a mid-career student, he brought his experience in thetelecommuni- cationsindustry,andpassionforinternationalaffairs,tohisanalysisofouterspace law.Whatimpressedme—andsomethingScottonlyrevealedtomeinincremental terms—was his history of making documentary films about our relationship with nature. Thestorytellerwhohasbecomeaspacelawyerweavesanarrativeinthisbook,of thegeopoliticallandscapeinwhichaseriousconflictisemergingbetweenthespace activitiesofcommercialactorsandastronomy. Thelaunchofmega-constellationsmadeupoftens-of-thousandsofsatellitesinto orbit has raised concerns about the extent to which States responsible for the oversight of commercial ventures in the New Space era will comply with the duty of due regard and the obligation to avoid interference with the activities of other States. Spacelaw,asabranchofpublicinternationallaw,hasalwaysprovidedroomfor creativelegalthinking.Buttherapidexpansionofcommercialactivities,particularly inLowEarthOrbit,isnowgivingrisetomajorchallenges,sustainabilityissues,and geopoliticaltensionsthatwillrequirebreakthroughsolutionsanddisruptivethinkers. Thistimelybookoffersanewperspectiveonhowmega-constellationsmightbe regulated to protect astronomy. It will not only appeal to legal and astronomical experts,butallreaderswithaninterestinouterspace,forthecraftoftheauthorlies inmakingthesedisciplinesaccessibletoall.Heisconvincinginhisopinions,frank inhisassessments,andunafraidtochallengetheastronomicalcommunitytodefend thepublicinterestinscience. This approach is to be welcomed. As the first book of its kind to explore the application of international law to mega-constellations, it will make an important contribution to current discourse. It offers a unique insight into the hidden factors drivingtheracefordominanceinouterspace. vii viii Foreword Icannotimaginethisbookhavingbeenwrittenbyanyoneelse,andIamsureit willbreaknewgroundinlegalthoughtontheregulationofmega-constellations. EmeritusProfessor,International TanjaMasson-Zwaan InstituteofAirandSpaceLawatLeiden University,Leiden,Netherlands InternationalInstituteofSpaceLaw (IISL),Paris,France Preface Thisbookseekstocontributetopublicdiscoursebyhighlightingtheemergingissue ofinterferencewithscience,astheinfrastructureforanOrbitalInternetisestablished in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) by new commercial space-actors. It explores the inter- section of space law, telecommunications, and defence, positioning its analysis within current and historic geopolitical developments, including the race for 5G, forthebattletodominatethespacedomainisactuallyabattletoshapetheInternet- of-Things (IoT). Casting a wide lens, it seeks to understand the forces driving the launchofmega-constellations,inordertoproposelegalandregulatorysolutionsto theinterferencetheyposetoscience. Itarrivesattheconclusionthattheestablishmentofacomprehensivegovernance framework, reflecting the principles of the Outer Space Treaty (OST), will be necessary to ensure the “global commons” does not collapse as an Orbital Internet is established. This book argues that attempts to treat the “Dark Sky” as subject to culturalheritageprotections,anderectahumanrighttostarlight,aremisplaced.The challengeisnotsomuchanenvironmentalone,asaquestionofgovernance.Itwill therefore require a governance solution. In pursuit of a new framework, this book arguesthattheprincipleofStateResponsibilityrequiresgreaternationalsupervision, with an urgent need for incorporation of impact assessment processes at national regulators,inordertomitigatetheinterferencemega-constellationsposetothespace activities of others. It advocates for a new strategy of “international regulatory coordination” as the fastest means of addressing what is an urgent problem. It envisions in suchregulation a renewed role for theprecautionaryprinciple and the doctrineofproportionality,foritissimplycommonsensethatthe10,000%increase in space objects in LEO, resulting from just four mega-constellations launched by USTechGiants,willexponentiallyincreasethetechnicalandgeopoliticalrisks.This isnotsustainable.Thisbookmakespragmaticrecommendationsonhowregulatory processes might be bolstered to ensure the common, and sometimes conflicting, interestsofstakeholderscanbemanaged. This work is by its very nature an extended essay. It does not claim to be definitive and nor should the reader understand it as such. A new “space race” is ix x Preface unfolding at a rapid pace, and new developments in the nature of constellations continuetobeannouncedonaweeklybasis.Instead,Iinvitethereadertoconsider the issues in the geopolitical context in which the race to dominate LEO has emerged, and draw lessons from history that might be applied to protecting the interests of science. To assist the reader, the Outer Space Treaty (1967)—a short, eloquenttextreflectingthesharedvaluesofhumanityinouterspace—isincludedin theAppendix. I embarked upon the research that forms the basis of this book in 2019, shortly afterphotographsofSpaceX’slaunchofthefirsttrancheofStarlinksatellitesalerted the world to its potential impact. The book’s narrative spans the 3 years since, in which astronomers and international stakeholders grappled with the question of “what istobedone?”.Itnecessarily chartsa course throughthedramaticdevelop- ments in these years, during which the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014 escalated into a devastating war. In the interests of its narrative arc, this book documentseventsinarelativelylinearmanner,withthemostrecentdevelopments of2022detailedinthefinalchapters. As a European, I am most interested in how EU institutions, and organisations representingastronomers,shouldrespond.Ihopethisbookwillserveleadersinthis sector, by providing insight into the application of outer space law. More than anything,thechallengeofmega-constellationscallsforastronomerstoreinvigorate thediplomacyofscience,inordertoinfluencefutureregulationandensureastron- omyremainsacriticalactivityinouterspace. Netherlands,Leiden ScottMillwood
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