Outer Space Regime and the Issue of Space Debris, An analysis on the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space on space debris from 2006 to 2019

Abstract

With several actors entering the space scene and the skyrocketed increase in the launches, space exploration has become more complex, so does the challenges related to the threat posed by space debris. To deal with this matter, the United Nations adopted the Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines, and later, the Long-Term Sustainability Guidelines. These international guidelines are non-binding and voluntary, and they open space for actors to behave towards their self interest. Considering that, this research aimed to analyze the issue of space debris in the context of the discussions of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) from 2006 to 2019, using a regime theory approach. The background provides relevant data on the space debris context and the legal framework of outer space. The theoretical framework describes the regime theory approach towards international cooperation, followed by a literature review of relevant works about space debris under the regime theory. This research applied thematic analysis to find relevant themes being discussed at the COPUOS, as well as new trends and contemporary issues. It was found that, although the guidelines were important milestones to regulate space debris, the outer space regime still needs to evolve in order to reach the end-to-end problem, as these are changes within the regime – in its rules and procedures instead of its principles and norms. While major events and new trends were being discussed, they indirectly affected the discussions and proposals of the COPUOS over the years. The dissatisfaction of some delegations on issues such as liability towards space debris and the non-binding character of the guidelines was visible, although not leading to important changes.