低轨巨型星座的国际空间法问题分析

Analysis of the International Space Law Issues of LEO Mega-Constellation

由成千上万颗小卫星组成的低轨巨型星座给教育、电信、地球观测和减轻灾害等领域带来很多惠益,但也带来频谱轨道资源占用、在轨碰撞风险增加、影响他国发射窗口和地基观测等现实问题,同时给国际法规则适用带来挑战。国际空间法中有关自由探索利用、妥为顾及、提前磋商、空间物体登记、透明度、可追踪性、空间碎片减缓等原则和要求,对于调整巨型星座活动具有重要意义,但仍须细化或做出因应调整。低轨巨型星座的快速发展将促进频轨分配协调、外空环境国际治理、太空交通国际治理与协调、外空军控等外空治理重大领域相关规则和机制的发展。国际社会应尽快构建有关低轨巨型星座的外空单方透明机制、协调磋商机制、危机管控机制和事后处置机制,以实现外空的良性国际法治。

The development of LEO mega-constellation composed of thousands of small satellites is conducive to education,telecommunication,earth observation and disasters mitigation,simultaneously leads to practical problems,for instance,spectral orbital resource occupation,increasing risks of in-orbit collisions,affecting other countries launching window and ground observation.Moreover,it brings challenges to the application of international rules.The principles,obligations and requirements of international space law such as free exploration and use,due regard,prior consultation,registration of space object,transparency,trackability and space debris mitigation are of great significance to adjust the mega-constellation activities,but has yet to be elaborated or adjusted accordingly.The rapid development of mega-constellation would promote the evaluation of rules and mechanisms related to international space governance,for instance,allocation,coordination of the radio frequency and orbits,international governance of space environment,international governance and coordination of space traffic,and arms control in outer space.International community should in this case consider establishing unilateral transparency mechanism,coordination and consultation mechanism,crisis management and disposal mechanism in respect of the mega-constellation as soon as possible,so as to realize the benign international governance of space.