Space Junk Crisis: Scientists Push For UN to Create Development Goal For Space Junk
14th Jan 2025
Scientists from organisations including the University of Plymouth and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, as well as ZSL, have called for a new United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to use Earth’s orbit in a sustainable way and prevent the build-up of space junk that is already proving to be a problem for the space industry.
The Call for a New UN SDG
UN members have adopted 17 SDGs as part of a call to “end poverty, protect the planet for future generations, and ensure all people enjoy peace and prosperity,” and there is now a call for protecting orbit as well as the Earth itself.
The study is published in the journal One Earth and is authored by experts in fields such as satellite technology and ocean plastic pollution, and proposes a new SDG.
With 100 nations involved in space activity, and almost 20,000 satellites having been launched into orbit, there is already a need to target the issue of debris to protect the crucial role satellites play and avoid further complications. Some organisations are already recognising that action is needed, but a UN SDG would formalise the agreement and provide a global impetus to work on the issue.
Melissa Quinn, General Manager of contributors the International Business Unit at Slingshot Aerospace, explained some of the issues stemming from space junk: “In 2024, we saw a 17% year-over-year spike in the average number of close approaches in low earth orbit per satellite on Slingshot Beacon, Slingshot’s space traffic coordination application. With over 12,500 spacecraft now orbiting our planet, including more than 3,300 inactive satellites, we need urgent, coordinated global action to ensure space is safe, sustainable, and secure.”
Learning from Marine Conservation to Tackle Space Debris
There is a precedent in SDG14: Life Under Water, which is targeting similar problems with marine debris. Professor Heather Koldewey, ZSL’s Head of Ocean and FAIRER Conservation, explained: “Just like plastic pollution and climate change, space junk is an issue that transcends borders,” she went on to explain that SDG14 could be an example to follow. “It’s key we learn from the challenges and solutions in tackling marine debris and act now to protect our planet’s orbit.”
The article was co-authored by researchers from the University of Plymouth, PBL Works, Arribada Initiative, University of Auckland, The University of Texas at Austin, Anturus Ltd, University of Maine, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Spaceport Cornwall, Slingshot Aerospace Ltd, and ZSL (Zoological Society of London).
Dr Imogen Napper, Research Fellow at the University of Plymouth, took the lead, and explained the requirement for a UN agreement on the subject:
“The need to protect and connect our natural environments, from the ocean to Earth’s orbit, has never been more urgent. Both are vital to the health of our planet, yet increasingly under threat from the pressures we place on them. There is growing recognition that marine litter knows no international boundaries, and the same applies to space debris. A UN-backed agreement would be a crucial step in safeguarding Earth’s orbit for the future.”
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