International instrument relating to space debris: The value of environmental protection

• Main Authors: Permatasari, Yunita, Wibowo, Antonia Rahayu Rosaria
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerospace environments; Coercivity; Environmental protection; Guidelines; International law; International organizations; International relations; Space debris; Space debris mitigation
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0181835

One of the critical issues for the security and safety of the environment as well as activities of space is space debris. Countries and international organizations are aware of and seek solutions through the various international instruments related to space debris, so-called space debris mitigation guidelines. To date, the space debris mitigation guidelines have been published by the European Code of Conduct (EU CoC), Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC), Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), and International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Meanwhile, the instruments had been issued and followed by national and international mechanisms. Establishing international law does not necessarily guarantee the behavior of space actors. However, they share a common interest in the space environment for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. So, it is necessary to know what the international instruments related to space debris say about environmental protection. By using an interdisciplinary approach, especially international law for international relations, this paper aims to compare the environmental protection in space debris mitigation guidelines produced by EU CoC, IADC, COPUOS, and ITU. This paper argues that the space debris mitigation guidelines are a standard of behavior for international space actors but are voluntary in nature and donot have coercive power. Optimization can be pushed by environmental protection as a common interest of each of the international instruments related to space debris.