regulations and law, and also some discussion of responsible behavior in space. How does China factor into the space junk conversation – is it a major orbital polluter? It depends on who you ask. Many in America would say that China is a big polluter, and in fact its 2007 anti-satellite missile test created about 3,000 pieces of debris in low Earth orbit (LEO) and is the single biggest debris cloud in history. However, measured by the actual amount of space debris, the US and Russia are responsible for more. Just how much depends on how you count. By number [of pieces] of space debris, Russia is responsible for about 38 percent, the US about 30 percent, and China about 22 percent. But counting by total mass in space, Russia has by far the most with 53 percent, the US with 19 percent, and China only 4 percent. This is because the US and Russia have been operating in space for nearly 50 years and over that
time have launched a lot of satellites, and generated a lot of debris. By contrast, China is a relatively new player and doesn’t have as many satellites. However, China is rapidly developing its space capabilities and has plans to launch a lot of satellites over the coming decades. And while current launch rates are far below the Cold War peaks, in 2011 China had about the same number of space launches as the US or Russia. So we feel it is important to have China included in this conversation, so that they can be informed about the situation and so that the rest of the international community can have an opportunity to hear a Chinese perspective on these issues and what they are working on in these areas. The 2012 Beijing Space Sustainability Conference will be held from Nov 8-9 at Beihang University. Register at http://swfound.org/events/2012/2012-beijingspace-sustainability-conference.
the radar in spain that tracks orbital debris
November 2012
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