Today, former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen launched the Global Space Council, a group of space leaders and experts who will raise political and public awareness about the threats posed by the overcrowding of outer space and the overconsumption of our shared space resources.
In 2018, there were roughly 2,000 active satellites in space. That number has exceeded 10,000 today, and there could be 100,000 or more active satellites by the end of the decade. NASA cites the resulting collision risk as the number one threat to the spacecraft and satellites that are essential to national security and the functioning of many aspects of our daily lives.
Speaking after the launch of the Global Space Council, Anders Fogh Rasmussen said:
“Space is a geopolitical and economic frontline—and I believe that the rapid overcrowding of our orbits is an overlooked threat to national security, sovereignty, and the ability of Europe and our allies to safely access space and support the services it enables every day.
“As more and more satellites are launched into our orbits—increasing the risks of collisions and radio spectrum interference—governments around the world must take this issue seriously. If they do not, we will collectively jeopardize our access to space—and the security, connectivity, and environmental repercussions will be lasting.”
The Global Space Council will meet regularly in the coming months, and will develop a report with a series of proposals to urge governments to take concrete action to safeguard our orbits and spectrum.
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Anders Fogh Rasmussen is a former Secretary General of NATO, Prime Minister of Denmark, and member of the European Space Agency’s High Level Advisory Group. He is Chairman of the Global Space Council.
In their personal capacities, other members include:
Marc Garneau, Canada: Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, former President of the Canadian Space Agency, former astronaut.
Agostinho Linhares, Brazil: Executive Director of the Instituto de Pesquisa para Economia Digital – Digital Economy Research Institute.
Marietje Schaake, The Netherlands: Non-Resident Fellow at the Stanford University Cyber Policy Centre and former Member of the European Parliament.
Tidiane Ouattara, Ivory Coast: President of the Space Council of the African Space Agency.
Boris Otter, Switzerland: Founding President of Swiss Space Tourism.
Xavier Pasco, France: Director of the Foundation for Strategic Research.
Nicolas Walter, France: CEO of the European Science Foundation.
Ranjana Kaul, India: Partner at Dua Associates, Vice-President of the International Institute for Space Law, and Subject Matter Expert on the National Advisory Committee of the Indian Space Association.
Masami Onoda, Japan: Director of the International Relations and Research Department at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
More information will be made available here: https://www.globalspacecoalition.org/