The international politics of orbital debris: a case study of governance in space

Abstract

This thesis is an examination of the governance of near Earth space, specifically focusing upon the problem of orbital debris. The debris population is constituted of objects which are trapped in the Earth's orbit, due to the enormous velocities at which they travel their presence poses a threat to active space programmes. This analysis identifies the technical parameters of the problem, however its principle focus is the political environment within which it exists. Therefore, it examines the existing governance which manages human activity in space. This specifically addresses space law and the institutions which regulate behaviour in near Earth space. The complexities of rights of use in the global Commons, along with the outstanding questions relating to them, are examined as they form an important aspect of political framework within which the problem exists.

The theoretical analysis draws upon debates surrounding the management of common resources. This contrasts the approaches of Garrett Hardin and Elinor Ostrom which are examined both in terms of their theoretical assertions and their ability to relate to the empirical evidence.

The latter stages of the thesis focus upon the response to debris that has been witnessed; the focal of which is the Inter-Agency Debris Co-ordination Committee (IADC), which is central to the collective response to orbital debris. As such it has aided the formation of the norms and values which characterise the social environment within which the problem is addressed.

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