ITU Insists on Preservation of Space Environment to Improve Lives, Livelihoods on Earth

Emma Okonji

As the world continues to explore space technologies for digital transformation, the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Doreen Bogdan-Martin, has stressed the need for the world to also preserve the space environment itself in order to improve lives and livelihoods on earth.

Bogdan-Martin who said this in a statement, insisted that the issue of space sustainability would continue to play out, since space itself is becoming more critical to global development than ever before.

According to her, ITU, which is the custodian of the radio-frequency spectrum on earth and in space, also has a vital role in keeping space use sustainable.

“We have been there from the beginning, and everything people do in space to this day, relies on radio communication. ITU started focusing on space with the launch of Sputnik I, the first-ever artificial satellite, in 1957. Our Extraordinary Administrative Radio Conference in Geneva in 1963 allocated frequencies to various space services and updated the Radio Regulations for the new age. A visionary ITU decision taken in 1971 even protects the dark side of the moon from radio-frequency interference. Further space-related resolutions adopted by ITU Member States over the years have further reinforced our mandate for space and satellite coordination,” Bogdan-Martin said.

“Our ITU Radiocommunication (ITU-R) Study Groups will continue to lay new regulatory groundwork for a growing multitude of radio services to co-exist without harmful interference, as well as establishing the technical requirements for seamless communications on and around the moon,” Bogdan-Martin added.

She said the burgeoning space economy could reach $ 1.8 trillion by 2035, based on average growth forecasts of 9 per cent per year, adding that beyond commercial prospects, space investment holds tremendous potential for advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

“At least 40 per cent of SDG targets rely on earth observation, remote sensing, and global navigation satellite systems, which is a testament to how satellites have become critical infrastructure supporting sustainable life on earth,” she said.

Addressing the issue of sustainability of space infrastructure in her statement, Bogdan-Martin however said the world’s radio spectrum resources remained inherently limited, and she questioned the kind of space environment that the world would be leaving to future generations and how it would affect their ability to connect, communicate, and explore the cosmos further.

She suggested that crucial considerations must range from physical safety to cybersecurity; from specific technical standards to broad regulatory frameworks; and from economic aspirations to environmental concerns. She therefore advised all countries and space stakeholders to agree on seeking a deeper understanding of all these issues, and to keep the space free from harmful radio interference and from debris accumulation that put satellites at risk.

“We have observed a rapid increase in filings for low-earth orbit satellite systems. The last decade saw around 10,000 satellites launched, increasing the mass launched annually by ten-fold. Satellites could finally close the digital divide. They make the goal of universal, meaningful connectivity, attainable.

“With about one-third of humanity still offline today, we must not jeopardize the benefits that growing numbers of satellites are bringing, but the brilliant community of space experts and stakeholders who come together at ITU can help shape a responsible space ecosystem from which all humanity can benefit,” Bogdan-Martin further said in her statement.