The Space Security Coalition (SSC) has issued new guidelines to improve sustainability and reduce the risk of space collisions. Established in 2019 by public and private aerospace operators from several countries, the SSC recognizes that plans to increase the population of space were not envisioned when the previous guidelines were established. Consequently, the new guidelines call for a plan to plan the launch of new spacecraft, improve space situational awareness, and reduce orbital debris, among other things.
To avoid collisions and repeated conjunctions once in orbit, the signatories of the agreement have committed to creating forums and information exchange spaces to coordinate the space activities developed by the different operators. In addition, the SSC urges spacecraft manufacturers, governments, and intergovernmental agencies to remove all spacecraft from orbit once they have completed their operational lives in order to achieve the ultimate sustainability of the space environment.
The SSC also proposes to create the conditions for the development and operation of orbit servicers and spacecraft designs that facilitate servicing. The new guidelines include a proposal not to abandon spacecraft in orbits that do not passively decay within five years or are not designated as a graveyard. The guidelines were approved by 27 representatives of the commercial space community, including members of US and European companies. In summary, these new SSC guidelines seek to ensure safety and sustainability in space, considering the increased population of Earth in the future and the need to reduce the risk of collisions and orbital debris.