Deorbit Requirements and Adoption of New End-of-Life Standards

Abstract

Responsible end-of-life disposal measures have been recognized as a critical component of orbital debris mitigation practices from the earliest discussions on space sustainability. NASA’s first orbital debris safety standard in 1995 outlined different disposal methods for missions operating in different orbital regimes, limited post-mission orbital lifetime, and called for decommissioned assets to be passivated. It also specified a reliability threshold for post-mission disposal maneuvers and capped the casualty risk resulting from an object’s reentry into the atmosphere. Since then, many organizations have issued statements, policies, and standards to promote responsible disposal practices. This chapter reviews some of the more notable publications on the subject, as well as a framework in which all stakeholders can work together to encourage the international community to adopt new standards.