Shattered Satellite Creates More Space Debris
July 1, 2024
A defunct Russian satellite recently broke apart, adding to the debris already in low-Earth orbit and forcing astronauts on the International Space Station to take precautionary shelter. In Issues, Marilyn Harbert and Asha Balakrishnan maintain that with commercial activities in space expected to increase, the United States lacks adequate policies to mitigate problems posed by space debris. “Most of the tension is not from technical disagreements, but rather hinges on who has the authority to act,” they write, calling on Congress and the National Space Council to formulate a regulatory framework that will protect humans and their technological operations.