Space industry urged to take a broader view of sustainability

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — The space industry need to take a broader examination of issues related to space sustainability that go beyond preventing the growth of space debris, one official says.
Speaking at the SmallSat Symposium here Feb. 6, Richard DalBello, director of the Office of Space Commerce within the Commerce Department, said there is a need to define a set of “internationally accepted” actions to address issues that range from orbital debris to protecting night skies from satellite interference.
“Usually, when people say ‘sustainability,’ they think space junk, but sustainability is much, much more,” he said. “As tens of thousands of new satellites are launched, space sustainability is going to be a bigger and bigger issue.”
Space traffic coordination is one key issue, he said, but noted it extends to sharing of space situational awareness data as well as potential requirements that satellites have some ability to maneuver to avoid potentia...

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