ASE Committee on Space Traffic Management & Orbital Debris

When Sputnik was launched in 1957 there was only one man made object in orbit.  Now there are over 500,000 spacecraft and space debris objects orbiting the earth.  Because these objects travel at speeds on the order of 8 kilometers per second, even a very small piece of material represents a hazard to other spacecraft should a collision (conjunction) occur.  Great effort is underway to better understand the orbits of all of these objects and to develop the capability to identify potential collisions. ASE fully supports activities aimed at making operations in earth orbit safe, efficient, and collegial, and is often asked for “the astronaut’s/cosmonaut’s perspective” on subjects that fall under these headings.  Space Traffic Management and Orbital Debris are two such topics where ASE sees the need for a coordinated, international effort to insure safe and efficient operations in earth orbit.

In 2017, the ASE membership agreed that Space Traffic  Management and Orbital Debris are issues of concern needing to be addressed to ensure safe and coordinated operations in earth orbit and ASE formed a Committee on Space Traffic Management and Orbital Debris, chartered to participate in developing a path forward for international coordination to ensure safe spaceflight through space traffic management and orbital debris mitigation.  At the XXXI Congress in Belarus, the ASE unanimously approved a General Statement urging the international spacefaring nations to rapidly develop policies, technologies, protocols and/or treaties on Space Traffic Management (STM) in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) that would assess impact risk from space debris objects: Read the Statement:  English | Russian

“The ASE urges the international spacefaring nations to rapidly develop policies, technologies, protocols and/or treaties on Space Traffic Management (STM) in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) that would assess impact risk from space debris objects. Development of a US Space Traffic Management (STM) structure is a first step, but the US is only one element of a growing international launch market. Space debris objects know no international boundaries, travelling around the planet in about 90 minutes each orbit (~17,500 mph or ~28,164 km/h). Similar to the history of aviation and maritime operations, the international space sector should collaborate in order to keep the doors of space open and safe for everyone.”

STM/OD Committee NOTAMS

COPUOS/STSC

In February 2026, ASE submitted a formal Conference Room Paper (A/AC.105/C.1/2026/CRP.12) to the UN COPUOS Scientific and Technical Subcommittee at its 63rd session in Vienna, presenting the Working Group’s findings on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. The paper was prepared from the collective operational experience of ASE astronaut and cosmonaut members in spaceflight, proximity operations, docking procedures, and mission-critical decision-making under uncertainty.

• Global launches have nearly quadrupled since 2012, with over 42,900 tracked objects now in orbit and an estimated 140 million fragments too small to track but large enough to cause catastrophic damage — damage that could seed entire orbital bands with hazardous debris

• The rapid proliferation of large satellite constellations has significantly increased the frequency of close approaches and conjunction alerts, placing unprecedented demands on existing coordination mechanisms

• Current STM governance remains a patchwork of national regulations, bilateral arrangements, and voluntary guidelines — fragmented, unevenly enforced, and lacking a harmonized global framework

• ASE emphasizes that STM must be understood as a human-centered safety system: situational awareness is inherently partial and probabilistic, decisions are made under time pressure, and trust in shared data is a critical safety parameter

• Any solution to orbital congestion must include active operator dialogue on mutually acceptable collision avoidance plans — accounting for factors such as remaining fuel, mechanical status, revenue impact, and national security considerations

• ASE is a signatory of the ESA-led Zero Debris Charter, joining 150+ space agencies, operators, and organizations committed to measurable debris reduction targets for 2030

• ASE representatives participated in the Net Zero Space Initiative (Paris Peace Forum), the Washington Compact on norms for commercial space operators, and ongoing UN COPUOS deliberations on space sustainability

• ASE’s Working Group recommendations to COPUOS include development of a globally coordinated STM framework; harmonization of conjunction assessment methodologies; shared communication protocols for maneuver notification; support for active debris removal demonstration missions; and promotion of open, interoperable data architectures

• The Working Group further proposes annual simulation exercises to stress-test comprehensive STM programs and identify governance weaknesses, alongside continued engagement with the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs

• ASE’s STM Committee is pursuing academic collaboration with Purdue University on space traffic coordination and information-sharing research

Paris Peace Forum

The Paris Peace Forum is an international, non-profit organization based in Paris promotes a variety of initiatives aimed at bringing attention to world issues needing resolution. One initiative, “Net Zero Space” calls for the reduction and elimination of space debris. ASE has signed a pledge in support of their effort and has also been invited to attend a two day working group Nov. 11-12 in Paris to discuss the initiative.

The Washington Compact

                "In our world, everything is interconnected. Development without peace is impossible. Peace without justice is untenable. And justice without development is of no use to anyone." - His Majesty King Willem-Alexander 

The Hague Institute for Global Justice is another international, non-profit seeking to promote the resolution of issues of international importance.  One of their initiatives this year is “Norms of Behavior for Commercial Space Operations”.  Where the Paris Peace Forum is targeting the elimination of orbital debris, The Washington Compact is pursuing a Code of Conduct for all commercial space operators.  ASE has signed a pledge in support of their effort.

The Orbits Act of 2022

This is a bill introduced (not passed) in the US Congress to support the development of technologies capable of removing/eliminating space debris.

AIAA Satellite Orbital Safety Best Practices

Below are links to a number of documents that show progress being made in addressing Space Traffic Management and Orbital Debris issues.  In most of these, ASE members were directly involved in developing the recommendations and writing the documents.  The ASE has consistently recommended a holistic approach to STM&OD that would include a comprehensive and structured program including:

–     Collision Avoidance and Data Sharing

–     Debris Mitigation

–     Behavior Guidelines (Code of Conduct)

–     Oversight Organization or Body

–     Communications Strategy