International Institute of Space Law |
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Article | Small Satellites and Large Constellations: Space Debris Remediation and Perpetual Ownership |
Authors | Arpit Gupta |
DOI | 10.5553/IISL/2023066007004 |
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Large constellations are groups of small satellites deployed in large numbers, ranging from hundreds to thousands. Most of these are to be deployed in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO), one of the most crowded and sought after orbits around the Earth. The small sizes and large numbers of these satellites raise concerns about their removal from orbit upon becoming non-functional. The launching states which retain command and control over these satellites have no incentive for bearing the cost of their removal. The involvement of private parties adds a further layer of complication since the law of outer space in its current state does not directly impose obligations on these parties. This paper proposes regulating these constellations as a whole rather than regulating each satellite individually, since most challenges arise from the density and large number of satellites in the constellation. |