Hoover Institution (Stanford, CA) — A new Hoover Institution report argues that the United States must take proactive steps to enhance space traffic coordination as rapid growth in satellite launches, combined with a lack of standardized international regulations and data sharing practices, increases pressure on the orbital environment and creates significant risks for orbital safety.
“Space Safety and Sustainability, Part II: Recommendations” outlines urgent strategies for improving space traffic coordination and ensuring the long-term safety, security, and sustainability of the orbital commons. The report proposes a three-pillar approach centered on establishing clear domestic policies for data sharing, investing in advanced technologies like artificial intelligence for space operations, and exporting US standards internationally.
The report was authored by Simone D’Amico, Hoover Institution science fellow and professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford University, along with Stanford researchers Tycho Bogdanowitsch, a master’s degree student in aeronautics and astronautics, and Walter J. Manuel, Yuji Takubo, and Rebecca Wang, PhD candidates in the field. The report argues that the United States has a unique opportunity to lead the development of standardized protocols for space traffic coordination that can help prevent potentially catastrophic collisions and sustain the orbital environment.
The report identifies three strategic pillars for improvement.
- First, it calls for the establishment of civil space traffic coordination infrastructure and modernization of licensing rules to make satellite location data sharing among operators consistent, comprehensive, and actionable.
- Second, it recommends leveraging advanced technologies like AI-driven decision-making and novel sensing capabilities to improve surveillance and management of space traffic.
- Third, it urges the United States to export its standards internationally and facilitate global cooperation through open, interoperable systems that create a stable and predictable orbital environment.
The authors also advocate a lifecycle-based approach to space traffic coordination, treating satellite operations—from launch through decommissioning—as part of a comprehensive traffic management system. Such an approach would include proactive management of on-orbit activities and responsible end-of-life disposal strategies designed to reduce space debris and improve long-term sustainability.
To support these goals, the report calls for increased investment in technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, advanced sensing, data fusion, and on-orbit servicing. These capabilities, the authors argue, are essential for enhancing space situational awareness, enabling autonomous operations, improving risk assessment, enhancing decision making, and automating processes related to collision avoidance and debris management.
Finally, the report emphasizes the importance of global standards and collaboration. By leveraging its leadership position in space operations and taking advantage of a first-mover opportunity, the United States can encourage other nations and private entities to adopt compatible systems and practices, fostering a safer, more secure, and more cooperative framework for space exploration and commerce.
Read the report here.
Technology Policy Accelerator
The Hoover Institution’s Technology Policy Accelerator conducts research and develops insights that help government and business leaders better understand emerging technology and its geopolitical implications so they can seize opportunities, mitigate risks, and advance American interests and values. To learn more, visit https://www.hoover.org/publications/matters-of-policy-and-politics.
Leadership for Responsible Space Policy
Space is a critical vector in geopolitical and technological competition. The rise of a commercial space economy driven by private investment is transforming space launch, space vehicles, communications, and key actors in a domain that has until recently been dominated by superpower governments. The Leadership for Responsible Space Policy (LRSP) initiative conducts research into critical areas such as scaling space start-ups to meet vital national security needs and addressing cybersecurity issues in space. To learn more, visit https://www.hoover.org/research-teams/leadership-responsible-space-policy.
For coverage opportunities, contact Jeffrey Marschner, (202) 760-3187, jmarsch@stanford.edu.
