Draft:Space Congestion

Definition
The increase of the number of spacecraft and space debris in orbit outside the earth or other planets may result in a risk of collision or friction, which affect the safety of spacecraft operations; or the act of a spacecraft having to change its trajectory to avoid the risk due to a large number of obstacles is space congestion.

Expansion of Near-Earth Satellites
The increase of the number of satellites is the root cause of congestion. The internet has become an indispensable item in modern people's productive lives, and highly efficient and low-latency broadband Internet relies on the operation of near-earth satellites. As of 2019, the number of near-earth satellites is about 3,000, and about half of them are functional satellites such as GPS.

Emergence of Mega-Constellations
In 2020, SpaceX's Starlink programme, which aims to provide low-latency, low-cost, and highly reliable Internet, is almost complete. The Starlink programme will place 1,440 satellites in a single orbital shell, operating at 550 kilometres in low orbit. Not only that, but the company has applied to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to add another 30,000 satellites to what is now known as the mega-constellations programme.

In 2021, Rwanda's Marvel Space Communications has also applied to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for over 30,0000 satellites. Hoping to take up more orbital space, it may plan to sell some of its radio spectrum rights. After that, companies in other countries started preparing for Mega-constellations, such as Astra Space in the US and Kepler in Canada.

Debunking Elon Musk's Analogy
Elon Musk has argued that the Earth's near-Earth orbit is capable of carrying billions of satellites safely. Satellites are to space what cars are to Earth. This idea is seriously flawed. Satellites in near-Earth orbit would need to circle the Earth every 1.5 to 2 hours, taking up a lot of space in orbit. In contrast to satellites, cars barely move on Earth. In addition, cars can slow down or brake in traffic jams, whereas satellites can only make minor corrections to their orbits, making it difficult to change their speed.

Impact of Space Debris
Space debris is a major cause of congestion. According to statistics, an average of five satellites will accidentally explode in orbit each year. Also, satellites experience unpredictable malfunctions and are hit by meteoroids. As the number of satellites launched by large companies such as Space X, Blue Origin, Boeing and others increases, the accumulation of space materials in near-Earth orbit is rapidly growing. Statistical models from the European Space Agency estimate that there are about 130 million one-millimetre to one-centimetre pieces of space debris, 100,0000 one-centimetre to ten-centimetre pieces of space debris, and about 36,500 pieces of space debris larger than ten centimetres in Earth's near-Earth orbit. This causes space congestion and significantly increases the risk of satellite collisions and friction.

Impact on astronomical observations
Astronomy is the oldest way in which mankind has explored the universe and is strongly associated with the emergence of many physical concepts, such as Newton's gravity and Einstein's general theory of relativity. However, the increase in the number of near-Earth satellites, especially starline satellites, has seriously interfered with astronomical researchers' observations of the sky. Statistically, one in every ten stars observed crosses the sky. Astronomical researchers also often mistake space debris for new discoveries. SpaceX has proposed a solution to this problem by installing sunshades on satellites to reduce their brightness. Astronomers have found that despite this, telescopes can still catch the satellites without much effect. Space congestion impedes people from enjoying the natural starry sky.

Impact on international relations
The number of satellites, as well as the increase in space debris, will increase the operational risk of satellites, which indirectly affects international relations. In 2019, the European Space Agency's satellite Pocahontas had to change its original orbit from to avoid a collision with SpaceX's Starlink satellites, and China's space station and spaceX Starlink satellites came close to colliding on two separate occasions, and the space station had to activate emergency collision-avoidance measures to ensure the safety of the astronauts.

Article 9 of the International Outer Space Treaty states: "Each State Party to the Treaty shall be guided in the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, by the principles of co-operation and mutual assistance, and shall pay due attention to the corresponding interests of all the other States Parties to the Treaty in all their activities in outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies. " As can be seen, the Treaty does not clearly define the parties responsible for accidents in satellite operations and the question of how to recover and dispose of the large quantities of space debris generated by collisions and the possible effects on third countries.

Limiting the number of satellites
Limiting the number of satellites launched by an aerospace private enterprise is an effective way to mitigate space congestion. Commercial development in space depends not only on the number of satellites launched, but also on their quality. Limiting the number of satellites a company can launch provides an incentive for companies to develop longer-lasting, more powerful satellites, rather than launching a large number of cheap satellites, exacerbating space congestion.

Developing satellite recovery capabilities
Developing satellite recovery capabilities to track and clean up space debris is also a way to mitigate space congestion. The use of biodegradable materials, reducing the use of explosive substances, etc. can reduce the creation of space debris. The maturation of existing space debris clean-up technologies, such as laser irradiation, adsorption, mechanical capture and inference technologies, will increase the recovery rate of space debris and alleviate space congestion.

Related Terms
Space debris;

Satellite collision risk;

Outer space planning;

SpaceX Starship;