The Japanese government is preparing an international recommendation on space debris mitigation around the Moon, as lunar exploration intensifies and concerns grow about an increase in dead satellites, according to the country's space agency and other sources. Japan hopes such a recommendation, to include calls for designing satellites with post-mission de-orbiting systems, will be endorsed by some 60 signatories to the Artemis Accords, a U.S.-led political declaration outlining principles for the safe and sustainable exploration of space, possibly in the fall.
More than 1.2 million pieces of debris with a length of at least 1 centimeter are flying around the Earth, already threatening the safety of space stations and satellites that are active. But in lunar orbit, there are very few abandoned satellites and other debris. Japan has decided to step up efforts to lead international coordination on space junk around the Moon before the situation becomes serious, with the government and companies planning lunar explorations.
The area of the Moon, roughly 380,000 kilometers from the Earth, is an extremely challenging environment for space-debris removal due to the distance and lack of infrastructure.
A draft recommendation proposal drawn up by the Japanese government also urges parties not to discard parts and devices in space and to carefully select locations when deciding to take down satellites and other objects on the Moon, according to the sources.
Satellites and rocket debris above the Earth can burn out through re-entry into the atmosphere, but this means of disposal cannot be expected around the Moon because it lacks a substantial atmosphere.
The draft also calls for considering the planned disposal of landing craft and rovers on the lunar surface, instead of just abandoning them.
The Japanese government is seeking to make the recommendation official at a gathering of the Artemis Accords signatories, reflecting the opinions of the countries and companies. It is expected to be nonbinding.
The United States, Japan and other participating countries aim to send astronauts to the Moon toward establishing a sustainable human presence in the 2030s through the so-called Artemis missions.
China and India, as well as several private firms, are also planning lunar explorations, likely leading to the introduction of positioning and communication satellites as well as landers.