From a global governance perspective, who should be responsible for regulating mega-satellite constellations like Starlink?

Okay, let's talk about this increasingly important topic.

Who Sets the Rules for 'Starlinks' in the Sky?

Imagine, in the past, the 'roads' in the sky (orbits) were wide open, with only a few 'vehicles' (satellites) occasionally traversing them. Everyone went their own way, rarely encountering each other. Now, Elon Musk's Starlink is launching tens of thousands of 'small cars' (satellites) all at once, and several other companies are preparing to do the same. The 'roads' in the sky are instantly becoming congested, which raises a core question: Who will be the 'space traffic police'?

This issue is actually quite complex, as it's not something a single 'traffic police' can handle. Instead, it requires a collaborative 'traffic management system' involving multiple parties. Here are the main roles:

1. The 'Driving License' Issuers: National Governments

These are currently the primary and most direct regulators.

• Principle: Each nation is responsible for its own. According to existing international law (primarily the 1967 Outer Space Treaty), the country whose company launches a satellite is responsible for all of that satellite's activities in space.
• Example: Starlink is operated by the American company SpaceX, so the U.S. government (e.g., the Federal Communications Commission, FCC) must issue it an 'operating license.' This license specifies which orbits it can use, what frequencies it can communicate on, and so forth. If a Starlink satellite collides with another satellite, the U.S. government would theoretically bear international responsibility.
• Current Situation: This is currently the most effective regulatory method, but the problem is that 'driving license' standards vary from country to country. Some nations regulate strictly, while others might be more lenient to attract commercial space companies. This is akin to some places having strict driving tests, while others allow you to pass by paying, making traffic safety impossible to guarantee.

2. The 'Traffic Rule' Setters: International Organizations

Space belongs to all humanity; relying solely on one country to set rules is certainly not enough. A universally accepted 'international traffic law' is needed.

• International Telecommunication Union (ITU): This is a crucial player. You can think of it as the 'Space Frequency Management Authority.' Satellite communication requires radio frequencies, just as cars need their own lanes. The ITU is responsible for coordinating the allocation of these frequencies and satellite orbital resources to prevent mutual interference. Companies wishing to launch satellites must first apply to the ITU for 'lanes' (orbits and frequencies), and the ITU will register and coordinate them. However, the ITU itself does not have enforcement powers; it acts more like a 'coordinator.'
• United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS): This is a core body within the UN framework, responsible for discussing and formulating the 'fundamental laws' of outer space, such as the aforementioned Outer Space Treaty, which originated here. It focuses more on macro-level principles and guidelines, advocating for peaceful and sustainable space activities, for example. However, any new rules it proposes require the agreement of all member states, a process that is very slow and struggles to keep pace with technological advancements.

3. The 'Drivers' Themselves: Operating Companies (e.g., SpaceX)

The companies themselves are the primary responsible parties. Just like a car driver, they cannot drive recklessly simply because there are traffic police and traffic laws.

• Responsibility: They are responsible for ensuring their satellites are designed to be sufficiently safe, for instance, by having active collision avoidance capabilities and being able to de-orbit and burn up automatically at the end of their lifespan to reduce space debris.
• Self-awareness/Proactiveness: SpaceX itself has released data indicating that their satellites actively avoid other spacecraft. This is because if a large-scale collision were to occur, the resulting debris would block the orbits, making their own business unsustainable. This represents a form of commercial 'self-regulation.' However, relying solely on self-regulation is certainly not enough.

4. The 'Road Condition Observers' and 'Environmentalists': The Scientific Community and the Public

• Astronomers: They are among the most direct 'victims' of mega-constellations. Tens of thousands of bright satellites streaking across the night sky severely interfere with astronomical observations. Therefore, they have been vocally advocating for companies to 'darken' their satellites, reduce brightness, and avoid certain critical observational areas.
• Space Debris Experts: They are like scientists studying 'space smog,' constantly warning that if left unchecked, low Earth orbit could become saturated with space debris, leading to 'Kessler Syndrome'—where collisions generate cascading debris, ultimately rendering entire orbits unusable.

In Summary: Who is Ultimately Responsible?

Simply put, this is a situation of 'co-governance,' with no single responsible party, but rather multiple parties sharing responsibility:

1. National governments are the cornerstone, bearing the most direct legal and regulatory responsibility.
2. International organizations are coordinators, striving to establish a global standard that everyone adheres to, but their capabilities are limited.
3. Commercial companies are the implementers, and must bear the primary technical and operational responsibility.
4. The scientific community and the public are the overseers, raising warnings and demands from scientific and environmental perspectives.

The current challenge is that technology is advancing too rapidly, while laws and regulations are updating too slowly. It's like countless self-driving cars suddenly appearing on a highway, but the traffic rules were still designed for horse-drawn carriages.

The future direction must involve strengthening international cooperation and promptly updating 'space traffic laws' to adapt to this 'mega-constellation era.' This is not just about protecting a few scientists' telescopes, but more importantly, about ensuring the safety and sustainability of humanity's future use of outer space.