An urgent call for action on space traffic management

Eventually, international organizations like the United Nations will need to develop a set of binding recommendations to ensure people around the world are adhering to the same behavioral norms and rules in space. But action from Congress and the administration can help find „an area of common ground and agreement we can all work together on at the UN level,“ he added.

Congress can start by developing a set of nonbinding best practices. “I believe the first step should be nonbinding. Once you build trust, you can move to binding,” Bellamy said. “Congress strengthening space traffic management to help us work with our allies is a really good first step.”

He pointed to automobile safety as a good analogy. People were first urged to wear seat belts before they were legally required to wear safety restraints.

Bellamy also addressed the recent acquisition of software company Solers and beginning work on the contract Peraton received to provide satellite communications capabilities for U.S. Africa Command.

This transcript has been edited for length and clarity.

Where should Congress start to solve the space debris problem?

Vice President Mike Pence … talked about a new space strategy. … I believe that …within that, one key priority should be setting space conduct norms of behavior to enhance safety and sustainability of operations in the space environment.

This code of conduct has to have a couple things. It requires cooperation at the United Nations level. It will also require the State Department to work with a lot of close allies and partners. They will have to engage with Russia and China, and other potential spacefaring nations. They’re looking to do three things.

One, we need international cooperation to preserve space and really promote responsible behavior, avoid an excess of debris and also avoid conflict through deterrence. The second thing within the national strategy is we need a whole of government approach. … Because we don’t have norms today and we don’t have rules of the road, … people tend to operate more recklessly and freely. By adding norms or a code of behavior, you’ll increase safety and reduce reckless or threatening behavior.

Does any agreement have to be international from its start?

I actually believe Congress has to take action. I support them taking action to bolster space traffic management. It will add clarity and help prevent the risk of miscalculation and the risk of a debris incident. In concert with that, I like Pence’s approach to do a new holistic, strategy … [that could] clarify what are the norms of behavior and how people should operate. That really reduces the risk of miscalculation. It also finds an area of common ground and agreement we can all work together on at the UN level.

How helpful are nonbinding regulations?

I believe the first step should be nonbinding. Once you build trust, you can move to binding. If you look at cars and driving, it started with rules before laws. … If you go back to the 1950s when they were starting to put seat belts in cars, it was just, “It’s better for your safety to do it.” People participated and it worked well and became law 13 years later. For driving safety, norms evolved into laws. … That can be a good analogy for space safety. Congress strengthening space traffic management to help us work with our allies is a really good first step.

Does the rise of satellite constellations increase the urgency to improve space traffic management?

I think so. … There are three pillars. On the Defense Department side, we talk about what was space situational awareness, now called space domain awareness. The second pillar is space traffic management and the third is space environmental management. When you look at space traffic management, that’s a lot of collision avoidance, I see a lot of urgency there.

Is that the right area to focus first?

From a Hill perspective, I think it’s appropriate to start working on space traffic management. From the executive branch, when you’re looking at building a holistic government approach … you have to address all three buckets.

What are you doing to start working on the contract award you received from U.S. Africa Command?

As far as ramping up, it’s minimal because we have a lot of existing capabilities in place [through our commercial communications business.] We’re using existing capabilities to support AFRICOM and their needs.

Are you anticipating any upcoming changes for Peraton?

We just recently acquired Solers. … I think it’s going to be really great for our company.

Peraton is a combination of several companies. … We are made up of parts of Harris IT services, a former company called Exelis, the former CapRock Communications. … When you add Solers, really what we’re doing is we’re taking our mission passion and really increasing our depth of excellent. Solers was a leading software developer and systems integrator for space situational awareness and satellite ground systems. When you add that to our existing capability, we believe it’s a true force multiplier for our company and our customers. … That acquisition I think really helps us have a broader front to help the Defense Department, intelligence community, civil and other customers.

Source: politico.com
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