Goddard Project

Much of the data produced by satellites comes from private firms with private investors. They are unlikely to adopt the IADC guidelines on a voluntary basis because they add to the cost of missions. This has been the case for greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. where many firms with poor records have refused to take action without a legal mandate.

If they are serious about reducing debris, member nations of IADC should incorporate the guidelines into the licensing and regulatory processes they use to approve private space launches. If some nations mandate strict compliance and others do not, companies will register their activities in launching states with more favorable laws, as they do in ocean commerce.

Ultimately, the debris problem requires a global solution in the form of an international treaty that establishes legal standards applicable to all space operators.