Responsible satellite operations in the era of large constellations

摘要

Today, there are nearly 2,000 active satellites orbiting the Earth, and there are proposals to launch 20,000 more in the near future. While these unprecedented numbers of satellites bring with them important benefits to humanity, we must be careful to proceed responsibly and minimize the potential for harming the low Earth orbit (LEO) environment for generations to come. Space-based global communications, remote sensing, and a host of novel services promise new opportunities for economic development, global education, rural health care, location-based services and advancements in environmental science. Rapidly declining costs for access to space are paving the way for many new players, large and small, to play a role in providing these valuable solutions and services.