Scavenging of Space Objects for Recycling

Abstract

In almost 60 years, the international community has witnessed the increasing number of space objects in orbits around the Earth. Most of these space objects are space debris and will take many years to naturally decay their orbits and reach the Earth’s atmosphere. In that process, space debris endangers operational satellites and astronauts. Proposals have been advanced to use spacecraft for capturing space debris and lowering their orbits, to make them enter the Earth’s atmosphere as soon as possible. It has also been considered removing such objects above valuable orbits. Likewise, another proposal has emerged to re-use some parts of these space objects for repairing or upgrading other satellites already in orbit. The scavenging of space debris for recycling raises several legal questions. One of the crucial issues is the jurisdiction and control of Launching States over their space objects, even if such objects have transformed into space debris. This paper will address some of the legal challenges of scavenging of space debris. It will also elaborate on the areas where mitigation of orbital space debris and scavenging can be of benefit for the international community.

Keywords: International Institute of Space Law, IISL, Space Law, Outer Space Treaty, Liability Convention, IADC, COPUOS, Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines, Space Debris, Re-Orbiting, Recycling of Space Objects, On-Orbit Servicing