NEW YORK Despite an overwhelming vote of support from the United Nations General Assembly six months ago, supporters of a moratorium on one type of anti-satellite test say they are still working to get more countries to adopt it.
The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution in December 2022 encouraging countries not to conduct destructive direct ascent (DA) ASAT tests. A total of 155 nations voted in favor of the resolution while nine, including China and Russia, voted against. Nine other nations, including India, abstained.
This type of vote count indicates a very strong base of support, said Audrey Schaffer, director of space policy at the National Security Council, during a June 13 presentation at the Secure World Foundations Summit for Space Sustainability here.
However, it notes that the resolution is not binding. He does not commit states to the norm. It encourages states to make national commitments to this rule, he said. To truly establish an internationally recognized rule banning destructive DA-ASAT missile tests, we need a critical mass of nations to actually commit.
So far, 13 nations have made this pledge, most recently Italy in April. Our work to limit these irresponsible acts is not over, she said. We must continue the drumbeat of nations that pledge to abide by this emerging international norm.
The United States was the first to commit to no more destructive DA-ASAT tests in April 2022, five months after Russia conducted such a test, destroying the defunct Cosmos 1408 satellite and creating thousands of pieces of debris. Vice President Kamala Harris, who announced the ban, encouraged other nations to make similar pledges.
The first to enter the US was Canada in May 2022. It’s simple to recognize. It’s easy to attribute. As it is very harmful, this was one of the main threats that needed to be addressed, Maryse Ducharme, special adviser on space for Canada’s Department of National Defense, said of Canada’s decision to adopt the test ban, during a conference on June 14th.
He agreed that more nations need to make similar commitments. This could, she said, lead to a legally binding international ban on such tests, which she said Canada would support.
Hyerin Kim, second secretary of the Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Division of South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a speech at the conference on June 14 that discussions such as those held by a working group set up by the United Nations on the reduction of space threats have helped create a set of – Government common understanding of the dangers posed by destructive direct ascent ASAT tests. South Korea formally pledged not to conduct such tests in October 2022.
Kim said South Korea was pleased that 155 nations voted in favor of the UN resolution in December. We understand that other states that have voted for the resolution but have not yet joined the pledge need time to fully examine the domestic effects of that pledge, she said. Korea is also making efforts to raise awareness of the danger posed by ASAT testing.
While some work to get more countries to commit not to conduct destructive DA-ASAT testing, others are looking to go further. These are wonderful first steps, but we need to do more as a community to work towards banning all ASATs, said Mark Mozena, vice president of government affairs at Planet, which operates hundreds of satellites at risk of orbital debris, at a June 13 conference. speak.
He said a blanket ban would address criticism that a moratorium would not hurt the United States, having previously tested ASATs. We can overcome these criticisms by pushing for binding international agreements to ban all debris-creating activities and weapons, and not just limit testing of such systems, she said. We must move to a ban and not a voluntary moratorium. Working towards an international ban on banning all use of kinetic ASATs is a worthwhile goal that will help protect space for generations.
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