Research On Legal Issues Of Mitigation And Removal Of Small Satellites

In communication,remote sensing,earth observation,space weather,ocean exploration,etc,small satellite plays an increasingly significant role.It brings enormous benefits.At the same time,it causes a serious threat to environment and space objects in outer space.Therefore,the international community attaches great importance to small satellite.At present,there is no related legal system to regulate small satellite in the international community,but in 2015 inter-agency space debris coordination committee(IADC)working group focused on mitigation of small satellite.The United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space(UNCOPUOS)also decided to discuss the issue of small satellite.This article has four aspects:background,legal analysis,problem,China's response to mitigation and removal of small satellites.This paper introduces the present situation and the development of small satellite,analyzes the necessity and feasibility of mitigation and removal of small satellite,and clarifies legal basis of mitigation and removal of small satellite and the main body and the national responsibility.It also makes analysis under different conditions to determine the obligations of state of registry and launching state and state of ownership.Rules of the international platform and cooperation mechanism regarded as the foundation,we finally put forward reasonable suggestions,making our country dominating the negotiation.We carry out bilateral cooperation with Russia and the European Union,and improve the domestic management supervision system of small satellite in the end.According to domestic existing rules and system of the international community,this essay aims to propose applicable standards about mitigation and removal of small satellites.It will promote the vigorous development of the small satellite and China's space industry.