THE PATH TO ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE FRAMEWORK FOR SPACE DEBRIS REMEDIATION ON THE BASIS OF MITIGATION: LEGAL PROPOSALS RESULTING FROM REDSHIFT

The ReDSHIFT (Revolutionary Design of Spacecraft through Holistic Integration of Future Technologies) project focused during three years on various means to reduce the impact of space debris. The project investigated the synergy between theoretical and experimental results (long-term simulations, astrodynamics, passive de-orbiting devices, 3D printing, design for demise, hypervelocity, impact testing), assessed mitigation technologies, measured the long-term effect of existing guidelines and explored the relevance of these technical findings for the implementation of legal measures for space debris. The status quo of the relevant legal framework is well-known: the international treaties along with general international and telecommunications law incorporate the corpus iuris for activities in outer space, supported by a number of non-binding guidelines and recommendations that address space debris more specifically. The practical application and the effectiveness of the legal framework are challenged on a few levels. The complexity of space debris concerning the usability of outer space in a long-term perspective does not only require adequate regulation. It demands a holistic approach that provides a pragmatic trade-off between the restrictions needed and their benefits. ReDSHIFT demonstrates that debris mitigation actions can be measured in a quantitative way. This plays an important role for the legal considerations on implementing preventive and reactive measures, including ADR. While a high level of mitigation compliance is essential, it is nevertheless not sufficient to reach a stabilization of the debris environment. Hence, remediation is needed to complement and amplify mitigation.