FAA Proposes Rule to Reduce Space Debris and Enhance Space Safety
 |
| Space Junk |
The FAA is introducing a rule to reduce space debris in Earth's orbit by limiting the time that private rockets' upper stages remain in space.
This proposed regulation, released in draft form on September 20, aims to prevent the growth of orbital debris and reduce the risk of collisions with spacecraft and satellites to ensure a sustainable space environment.
Commercial launch operators would have five disposal options for their upper stages, including controlled reentry, moving them to less congested orbits,
sending them on Earth-escape trajectories, retrieval within five years, or uncontrolled atmospheric disposal.
While the draft allows a 25-year disposal timeline for uncontrolled reentry, it suggests that a shorter 5-year deadline may be more appropriate to reduce the risk of debris causing damage in orbit.
These regulations are crucial to address the increasing threat of space junk in Earth's orbit, with over 23,000 objects larger than 10 cm and projections of millions of smaller objects currently in space.
The proposed rule will soon enter a 90-day public comment period after publication in the Federal Register.
Tags: FAA, space debris, orbital sustainability, rocket regulations, space environment, space safety, orbital objects, launch licenses, space policy, space junk mitigation
