Space traffic management is defined by the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) as "the set of technical and regulatory provisions for promoting safe access into outer space, operations in outer space and return from outer space to Earth free from physical or radio-frequency interference." Space traffic includes

launch vehicle A launch vehicle is typically a rocket-powered vehicle designed to carry a payload (a crewed spacecraft or satellites) from Earth's surface or lower atmosphere to outer space. The most common form is the ballistic missile-shaped multistage ...

s, as well as orbiting objects such as

satellites A satellite or an artificial satellite is an object, typically a spacecraft, placed into orbit around a celestial body. They have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation ( GPS), broadcasting, scientif ...

of all sizes and the

International Space Station The International Space Station (ISS) is a large space station that was Assembly of the International Space Station, assembled and is maintained in low Earth orbit by a collaboration of five space agencies and their contractors: NASA (United ...

Space debris Space debris (also known as space junk, space pollution, space waste, space trash, space garbage, or cosmic debris) are defunct human-made objects in spaceprincipally in Earth orbitwhich no longer serve a useful function. These include dere ...

risk mitigation is major concern because collision with space debris can destroy vehicles and other space assets.

Policy Making

Policy making can be performed on a different scales on a national level and on an international level, to establish international cooperation that will coordinate the activities of all nations to avoid collision,

space debris Space debris (also known as space junk, space pollution, space waste, space trash, space garbage, or cosmic debris) are defunct human-made objects in spaceprincipally in Earth orbitwhich no longer serve a useful function. These include dere ...

, and the loss of space assets and services. The

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

bureau most concerned with space traffic management is the

United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) is an office of the U.N. Secretariat that promotes and facilitates peaceful international cooperation in outer space. It works to establish or strengthen the legal and regulatory fram ...

(UNOOSA).

United Nations Activities

In 2007 the resolutio
A/RES/62/101
about the ''Recommendations on enhancing the practice of States and international intergovernmental organizations in registering space objects'' was released by United Nations. Furthermore resources and reference Material was released for States & Organizations to register space objects provided the initial results of discussions and raise international awareness about an international cooperation for space traffic management. Space traffic management can be regarded as part of international

space law Space law is the body of law governing space-related activities, encompassing both international and domestic agreements, rules, and principles. Parameters of space law include space exploration, liability for damage, weapons use, rescue efforts ...

National Policies

In the United States, President

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

signed Space Policy Directive-3 on 18 June 2018, which defined Space Traffic Management (STM) as "the planning, coordination, and on-orbit synchronization of activities to enhance the safety, stability, and sustainability of operations in the space environment.Space Policy Directive-3, National Space Traffic Management Policy
. White House. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.

Space diplomacy & Space traffic

Bringing objects into outer space and provide a specific service for earth observation, communication or any other scientific, commercial or military application is not only about technical and domain specific problem solving. Space Diplomacy is involved if specific international negotiations are involved to represent national interests in an international Space Traffic Management. E.g the

Global Positioning System The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based hyperbolic navigation system owned by the United States Space Force and operated by Mission Delta 31. It is one of the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) that provide ge ...

(GPS) as a satellite-based infrastructure developed by the U.S. Department of Defense provides the globally available signal for navigation for civilian users and additional encrypted services of U.S. and allied military forces. The European Union (EU) decided to provide an alternative to GPS by building "

Galileo Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642), commonly referred to as Galileo Galilei ( , , ) or mononymously as Galileo, was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a poly ...

" as an independent European satellite navigation system. Space diplomacy is relevant to deal with conflicting national interest and identify international regulations that assure security, efficiency and cooperation for space activities in a sustainable way.

Policy Making

United Nations Activities

National Policies

Space diplomacy & Space traffic

See also