SWF PREPRINT Space Sustainability
The Earth’s limited orbital environment is becoming increasingly congested with active satellites, contaminated with orbital debris, and contested by a growing number of governmental, military, and commercial space actors, raising critical concerns for space sustainability and space security. These challenges highlight the need for improved space governance and responsible behavior in space, paralleling how environmental degradation led to the broader concept of sustainable development on Earth.
This article traces the development of the concept of space sustainability from the early 2000s and its connection with terrestrial sustainability, emphasizing its relevance to the evolving global space environment. It unpacks space sustainability into its interconnected dimensions, including space governance, orbital congestion, space security, and international cooperation, while also addressing growing competition among space actors.
The article further reviews the role of the United Nations, particularly UN COPUOS, in advancing space sustainability through international space cooperation and policy development. It highlights the adoption of the 21 Long-Term Sustainability (LTS) Guidelines in 2019, which provide a framework to promote the sustainable use of outer space and support global efforts toward safer and more sustainable space activities.
