There are around 11,000 satellites orbit around the earth, and it is estimated that at least 50,000 others will be launched during the next decade. There are also exploration instruments, restocking ships and complexes such as the international space station. But who regulates all this activity in space? In the absence of clear regulations, the European Union proposed the Space Act, a set of measures that seeks to make the European space sector in a cleaner, safer and more competitive environment, both domestic and international markets.

The European Commission maintains that current space regulations in the euro zone is fragreed in various national applications, which slows innovation, reduces European participation in the global market and generates additional costs.

According to the EU executive, the draft legislation will stimulate the expansion of companies on the block in the markets, because it is designed to simplify procedures, protect the orbit asses and promote a playground. The regulations are focused on three key pillars:

• Security: Faced with more than 128 million debris circulating in space, the action of space introduces measures to optimize the monitoring of orbit objects and prevent the generation of new debris. These includes specific requirements to guarantee the elimination of satellites at the end of their lives.
• Resilience: The Commission warns that spatial infrastructure is faced with the increase in cyber menaces, capable of compromising the functioning of satellites or disrupting essential services. The proposal therefore requires that all operators carry out risk assessments throughout the life cycle of their systems in horizes. They will also be required to submit detailed incident reports and adopt the updated cybersecurity standard.
• Sustainability: While space activities embody, it is crucial to effectively manage resources, Co₂ Emissions and waste. The new legal framework establishes common standards to monitor these impacts and define preventive or corrective measures.

In a statementThe Commission stresses that “the new rules would apply both to the EU and to national space assets, as well as operators not of the EU offering services in Europe.

Europe wants to lead the space economy

Recognizing that compliance with the regulatory framework will take into account the costs for industry, the Commission offers a series of support measures, such as stanning technical capacity, facilitation of access to test installations and assistance to the authorization process. These measures are intended for particular profit startups and small and medium -sized enterprises in the sector.

The Commission also presented a new vision to stimulate the European space economy, with the aim of responding to the global dynamics of the sector, increasing international competition and emerging geopolitical challenges.

Space, supports the agency, is a rapid growth sector which contributes significantly to the competitiveness of the block. It encompasses both industry dedicated to the manufacture and operation of space systems and a wide range of services that have an impact on areas such as climate, environment, agriculture, energy, transport, insurance, bank, security and challenge.

The proposed economic strategy includes more than 40 concrete actions to ensure the strong participation of Europe in the global space market, strengthen its autonomy and consolidate its technological advantage. Among the initiatives is the creation of the European space team, a high -level forum that will bring together key players in the ecosystem, such as the European Space Agency and the European Union Agency for the Space Program, with the aim of coordinating unifying efforts and capacities through the block. In addition, the Commission Planned A number of investment mechanisms to stimulate its space economy.

From this year, the Commission will develop a specific methodology to monitor competitiveness and EU market share in the global space economy.

“Europe’s leadership in Space Must Be Rooted in Sovereigty, Security, and Strategic Foresight. With the EU Space Act We Are Tooking A Bold Step to Ensure that our space infrastructure is resilient, our innovation ecosystem is empowered, and Our Automy in Critical Technologies is Securd for Generations How, “Concluded Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice President of the European Commission for Technological Sovereigty, Security, and Democracy.

This story initially looked at Cable EN ESPAñol and was translated from Spanish.