Space & Astronomy
US joins efforts for space 'code of conduct'
By
T.K. RandallJanuary 26, 2012 ·
8 comments
Image Credit: NASA
Calls are being answered for an international code of conduct to govern off-world exploration practices.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has stated America's interests in co-operating with other countries in an effort to agree upon guidelines to help maintain the sustainability of space travel in to the future. One of the most pressing matters will be to reduce the amount of space debris that is building up in orbit. "As we begin this work, the United States has made clear to our partners that we will not enter into a code of conduct that in any way constrains our national security-related activities in space or our ability to protect the United States and our allies," said Clinton.
NASA estimates that the cloud of orbital debris surrounding Earth contains more than 22,000 pieces as big as a softball and more than 500,000 bigger than a marble. Only 1,100 of those objects are active satellites, according to a State Department statement.
Source:
Yahoo! News |
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