Autonomy Has Outpaced International Space Law

In 2021, a Starlink satellite and OneWeb spacecraft came dangerously close to colliding in orbit.  While both companies’ automated systems detected a potential collision, the incident sparked intense debate about communication and de-confliction between autonomous space systems. As competing satellite operators increasingly rely on automated collision avoidance software to manage their growing constellations, this near-miss highlights a crucial gap in international outer space law: Legal frameworks never contemplated a future where automated systems, sometimes guided by AI, would make critical decisions in outer space that could constitute “harmful interference” under existing international law — that is, when a country’s space The post Autonomy Has Outpaced International Space Law appeared first on War on the Rocks.

Mar 14, 2025 - 08:36
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Autonomy Has Outpaced International Space Law

In 2021, a Starlink satellite and OneWeb spacecraft came dangerously close to colliding in orbit.  While both companies’ automated systems detected a potential collision, the incident sparked intense debate about communication and de-confliction between autonomous space systems. As competing satellite operators increasingly rely on automated collision avoidance software to manage their growing constellations, this near-miss highlights a crucial gap in international outer space law: Legal frameworks never contemplated a future where automated systems, sometimes guided by AI, would make critical decisions in outer space that could constitute “harmful interference” under existing international law — that is, when a country’s space

The post Autonomy Has Outpaced International Space Law appeared first on War on the Rocks.