Space Industry Statement in Support of International Commitments to Not Conduct ASAT Tests
Space Industry Statement in Support of International Commitments Not To Conduct Destructive Anti-Satellite Testing
Given the growing societal reliance on space applications and services, which are increasingly being provided through commercial capabilities and products,
Recognizing the increased policy and regulatory attention being given by national governments to growing and supporting the commercial space and satellite industries,
Noting the voluntary operational commitments being made by satellite operators to avoid the intentional creation of space debris and to safely de-orbit satellite systems at end-of-life,
And in appreciation of the growing number of countries which have made the commitment not to conduct destructive direct-ascent antisatellite (DA-ASAT) missile testing (37 countries, including all member states of the European Union, as of October 20, 2023),
We the undersigned members of the global space industry, including operators of space systems, providers of space-based services, and users of space-derived services, state our support of such commitments. We encourage additional countries to make similar declarations.
These commitments build upon the resolution, “Destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile testing,” passed by the UN General Assembly in December 2022, by a recorded vote of 155 in favor to 9 against. Destructive DA-ASAT tests directly threaten the safety of our space systems and the long-term sustainability of the environment within which they operate. These tests can create long-lasting orbital debris which threatens national assets, commercial spacecraft, human spaceflight platforms, and many of the space-based services humanity uses on a daily basis. Such debris poses a direct threat to future economic activity and innovation in low Earth orbit by raising the costs of current and future operations and creating uncertainty for investors and operators.
The deliberate destruction of space objects threatens this economic development. We firmly believe that the commercial space industry will play a decisive role in expanding humanity’s economic sphere further into low Earth orbit and beyond, which in turn will yield extraordinary benefits to humanity that help us deal with global challenges and improve conditions on Earth. Working as a global community to prevent deliberate destruction of space objects will contribute to achieving this vision. With each additional country to make this commitment, the world gets closer to a widely-accepted international norm that responsible space actors do not deliberately create long-lived debris that threatens the long-term sustainability of space activities.
A PDF of the Statement can be accessed here.
The SWF Launch Event of this Statement can be found here.
Countries Represented by Signatories
The statement is open to additional signatories. We welcome other parties interested in signing on to this statement to inquire with SWF’s Director of Private Sector Programs, Mr. Ian Christensen.
A Collection of Media Mentions of the Statement
- Industry Backs International ASAT Ban | Jacqueline Feldscher | Payload
- Space Companies Join Movement to Stop Debris-Producing ASAT Tests | Marcia Smith | SpacePolicyOnline
- 26 aerospace companies sign statement against destructive anti-satellite tests | Mike Wall | space.com
- Space companies say ASAT tests threaten economic development | Eric Berger | Ars Technica
- 26 Aerospace Giants Unite Against Debris-Producing ASAT Tests | James Hydzik | Orbital Today
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