‘Tax on space’ needed to halt tide of junk circling Earth

ECONOMISTS have called for a “space congestion charge” to limit the number of new satellites orbiting the Earth and tackle the growing problem of “space junk”.

A US study proposes that companies pay an annual fee of £193,000 per satellite as part of an agreement to encourage them not to overcrowd the Earth’s orbit.

More than 500,000 pieces of debris are currently circulating the Earth at speeds of up to 17,500mph, with the potential to smash the window of a spacecraft, the researchers said.

An estimated 20,000 objects, including satellites and space debris, are crowding low-earth orbit.

Akhil Rao, assistant professor of economics at Middlebury College, Vermont, said technological fixes, including removing space debris from orbit with nets, harpoons or lasers, would not solve the problem.

“Space is a common resource, but companies aren’t accounting for the cost their satellites impose on other operators when they decide whether or not to launch,” said Matthew Burgess, an economist at the University of Colorado Boulder in the US.

“We need a policy that lets satellite operators directly factor in the costs

their launches impose on other operators.” The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, concluded that the 30 international countries that own satellites would all need to participate in the scheme with each one charged the same fee per unit.

Prof Martin Mccoustra, at Heriotwatt University in Edinburgh said the “interesting” proposals could “incentivise companies to think about congestion in Earth orbit”.

However, he added that the cost might also “disincentivise” companies from making and launching micro satellites. He added: “I would ask whether these charges apply only to the operational lifetime of the satellite or if they apply as long as the satellite is in orbit.

“The former would result in companies walking away from their devices at the end of their operational life and not incentivise removal of these devices from Earth orbit.”

500,000

The number of pieces of ‘space junk’, including obsolete satellites and debris, estimated to be in orbit around the Earth