Society’s dependence on space infrastructure is at a critical juncture. Public and
private actors worldwide are planning to launch tens of thousands of satellites into
Earth’s orbit in the next five years. This will greatly expand and enrich the use
of space resources, but it will also result in more crowded orbits and greater risk
of damage from satellite collision and space debris. As satellite launches continue
to multiply and concerns grow, the long-term sustainability of space-based infrastructure
on orbit and beyond is set to emerge as an increasingly important space policy issue
of the 21st century. This publication takes stock of the growing socio-economic dependence
of our modern societies on space assets, and the general threats to space-based infrastructure
from debris in particular. Notably, it provides fresh insights into the value of space-based
infrastructure and the potential costs generated by space debris, drawing on new academic
research developed especially for the OECD project on the economics of space sustainability.