I’m a professor of astronomy who has written a book about the future of space travel, articles about our future off-Earth, conflict in space, space congestion and the ethics of space exploration. Like many other space experts, I’m concerned about the lack of governance around space debris. Near-Earth orbit is even more congested than the space between Earth and the Moon. The United Nations Moon Agreement of 1979 held that the Moon and its natural resources are the common heritage of humanity. National geopolitical and commercial interests will likely take precedence over interplanetary conservation efforts unless the United Nations acts.

Source: The Hindu September 02, 2023 16:20 UTC