The uncontrolled impact on the Moon of a Falcon 9 upper stage has brought renewed attention to an issue that is set to become increasingly relevant as cislunar activities expand: how should the end-of-life of space vehicles beyond Earth orbit be regulated?
The current international framework on space debris was developed primarily to prevent collisions in Earth orbit and manage atmospheric re-entry. However, when an object ends its trajectory on the lunar surface, the regulatory framework remains largely undefined.
Based on the information currently available, the Falcon 9 case does not automatically point to a violation of international law. It does, however, highlight the absence of shared technical and regulatory criteria for determining when, where and under what conditions an impact on the Moon may constitute an acceptable method of disposal.
In an analysis published by Cor.Com, Aurora Agostini, Elena Martellucci and Giulietta Minucci examine the limitations of the existing framework, from the Outer Space Treaty and the Liability Convention to the COPUOS guidelines and the Artemis Accords, as well as the proposed EU Space Act.
As lunar missions and cislunar activities continue to grow, the challenge will be to move from impacts that are merely predictable to end-of-life strategies that are assessed in advance, authorised, transparent and coordinated, embedding safety and sustainability into mission planning from the outset.
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