Potential Innovations in Space Regulatory Systems and Standards

The advent of small satellites has been a source of innovative technology, new entrepreneurial business initiatives, new economic models for space ventures, and many other changes. As noted in Chapter 6 this has not surprisingly given rise to a host of new issues and perceived needs for new standards of operations, codes of behavior, and perhaps new regulatory actions at the national and international level to keep space activities safe, harmonious, and operationally effective. Truly small satellites, of the cubesat and smaller category, have given rise to one set of concerns, while large-scale satellite constellations, sometimes called megaLEO systems, have given rise to other types of concerns.