John Paul M. Joaquin Science 02.28.2023 02:Feb AM EST

NASA, US Officials Want More Rules for Space Junk, Moon Bases

Space junk - no one wants it, but humanity has to be responsible for its own mess.

NASA and other government departments recently called for the creation of new space rules that would support the space industry and future commercial space stations and moon settlements, as well as regulate space junk/debris.

The FCC previously approved a new satellite deorbiting rule in 2022 that would give the space industry a better chance to grow, though there was some pushback on the matter.

New Space Rules For Future Missions

NASA deputy administrator Pam Melroy mentioned in a live-streamed meeting with other government departments with the National Space Council's (NSpC) users' advisory group (UAG) that the council should consider recommending a "fast refresh of space regulations" to avoid future barriers to space exploration, per Space.com.

The NSpC's users' advisory group consists of representatives from industry, education, and non-profit ventures, per The White House. The group provides advice and recommendations to the NSpC on matters related to space policy and strategy in government policies, laws, regulations, and international practicals across the civil, commercial, international, and national security space sectors.

Melroy added that NASA is not a regulator and is not their role in the space industry concerning the planned commercial space stations that would succeed the ISS in the 2030s. As such, the space agency is not responsible for all the activities on a commercial space station.

The UAG is not enthusiastic about following another set of regulations. According to the group's statement on the matter, too much regulation can be stifling, while agreeing that too little could also be just as harmful.

As such, NASA and other government departments urged the UAG's members to prioritize making regulation recommendations to the NSpC.

The UAG will likely convene several more times before the 2024 federal election cycle. However, a White House official stated it's too early to predict what the group would recommend to the NSpC.

International Compliance With The Outer Space treaty

Unfortunately, the participants in the space industry are not as keen on following a new set of space regulations that could help the industry to thrive. Most countries capable of reaching space signed on to the UN's Outer Space Treaty that governs international space activities, as well as prohibiting military activities on celestial bodies and stationing WMDs in outer space, per the Arms Control Association.

However, the treaty itself was created in the 1960s - a time when space agencies dominated space-related activities. It is only recently that commercial companies like Amazon and SpaceX are taking an interest in reaching space.

However, countries like China are violating this treaty with practices like letting rockets (or their debris) fall back to Earth uncontrolled. Russia is also to blame for violating the treaty with its anti-satellite test in orbit in 2021, which created space debris that nearly hit the ISS.