The Road to Better STM

There are currently just under 7000 functioning satellites in space and this is set to rapidly increase over the course of this decade. According to a recent Euroconsult report, during the period up to 2031, on average over 2,500 satellites will be launched every year. 83% of these are expected to be part of large constellations. This huge increase in space traffic, as well as the complexities of a multi-orbit environment and the ever-increasing amount of debris, has brought STM back to the fore. A collision between a satellite and another space object has the potential to not only cause significant damage to the satellite but could also add thousands of new pieces of debris to Earth\u27s orbit which is obviously going to exacerbate the problem. If space activity is to remain sustainable for the long term, the industry requires much better space situational awareness (SSA) and space traffic management (STM) than is currently in existence. Fit for purpose STM services are critical for space safety and sustainability of the industry as a whole. However, STM is a complex issue and there are a number of challenges to overcome along the road to better STM services. . The journey to better STM is indeed a difficult road to navigate, yet there are a number of key steps that if taken, will help to ensure that STM services are at least heading in the right direction