Agreements needed on lunar and space debris
In the media image: NASA
Part of a SpaceX rocket has crashed into the Moon. While this posed no immediate risk, space law expert Tanja Masson-Zwaan says the incident highlights the growing need for international agreements on space debris in an ‘EenVandaag’ news broadcast.
The impact of a SpaceX rocket component on the Moon has once again sparked debate about how to deal with space debris. Under the Outer Space Treaty, ‘the Moon belongs to no one and to everyone; it's nobody's property’, the space law expert explains. States must therefore share responsibility for how we use outer space. For now, the impact did not pose a risk, as the Moon is not yet permanently inhabited. ‘Only then would we be talking about a danger,’ she says, referring to a possible future scenario in which a rocket crashes on or near a settlement.
Masson-Zwaan says that objects that end up on the Moon generally remain there indefinitely. Although there is not yet a ‘lunar landfill’, the number of items left behind by states and private companies continues to grow. However, she does envisage opportunities for reusing materials in future lunar bases. At the same time, Masson-Zwaan stresses the need for new regulations. According to her, ‘it’s very important that we establish new agreements on how we interact with celestial bodies.’ With commercial space activities playing an increasingly prominent role alongside those of nation states, and with growing pressure on the space environment, sustainable use must be a key priority.
More information?
Read the article and watch the EenVandaag broadcast (in Dutch)