The European Union\'s approach to space traffic management

Dimitrijević Duško (Institut za međunarodnu politiku i privredu, Beograd), dimitrijevicd@diplomacy.bg.ac.rs

Given the significant increase in the number of satellites in Earth orbit, the resilience and security of the European Union (EU) and its Member States’ space assets are at serious risk. The EU considers it essential to ensure the long term sustainability of space activities by securing the space environment. The Joint Communication of the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 15 February 2022 to the European Parliament and the Council sets out the EU’s approach to Space Traffic Management (STM). This approach focuses on four key tasks currently being implemented by the Directorate‐General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS) and the European External Action Service (EEAS), which include the development of civil and military frameworks for space traffic management, strengthening operational surveillance and tracking capabilities to avoid collisions between satellites and other space objects, monitoring and developing a regulatory and legislative framework, and cooperating with international partners to ensure European contributions to global efforts to improve space traffic management.

Keywords: EU, space traffic management, surveillance and tracking, regulation, international cooperation