WASHINGTON — Ahead of a final meeting of a United Nations working group on reducing space threats, members states of the European Union, but not the E.U. itself, have pledged to not conduct destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite tests.
In a document recently published by the U.N. Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on Reducing Space Threats, a “joint contribution” by the E.U. included a commitment by its 27 member states to not perform such ASAT tests, which may generate significant amounts of debris. Breaking Defense first reported on the document.
“The Member States of the European Union commit to not conduct destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile tests,” states the E.U. in a passage bolded and underlined.
The US first announced in April 2022 its intent to not conduct such tests, five months after a Russian direct-ascent ASAT hit a defunct satellite and created nearly 1,800 pieces of tracked debris. Twelve countries followed the U.S., including five E.U. members: Austria, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. A U.N. General Assembly resolution encouraging countries to adopt similar bans won backing from 155 nations last December.
“Concerned that the usage of destructive ASAT systems may need widespread and irreversible impacts on the outer space environment, the Member States of the EU consider such commitment as an urgent and initial measure aimed toward stopping damage to the outer space environment, while also contributing to the event of further measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer space,” the E.U. document stated.
The European Union made no other formal announcement of that commitment, but an E.U. official confirmed that it applied to all 27 countries.
“All EU Member States have taken the commitment to not conduct destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile tests,” E.U. spokesman Peter Stano said in an Aug. 24 statement to SpaceNews. “They agreed to specific this collectively within the joint EU contribution to the works of the Open-Ended Working Group on reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviors.”
“The EU welcomes this joint commitment,” he added, noting that it didn’t apply to the European Union itself. “Nonetheless, this not a commitment by the EU as this potential behavior would fall outside of the competences of the EU.”
Despite the overwhelming support for a destructive ASAT testing ban in last December’s U.N. vote, advocates have continued to press individual countries to make formal commitments to refrain from such tests. In a chat on the Summit for Space Sustainability June 13 in Latest York, Audrey Schaffer, on the time director of space policy on the National Security Council, said that the U.N. resolution only encouraged countries to adopt a ban, and was not itself a commitment to not perform such tests.
“To really establish an internationally recognized norm banning destructive DA-ASAT missile testing, we want a critical mass of countries to really make the commitment,” she said. “We’ve to proceed the drumbeat of countries making commitments to this emerging international norm.”
The OEWG is ready to carry its fourth and final working session the week of Aug. 28 in Geneva. The intent of that session is to finalize really useful measures, like ASAT testing bans, to supply to the United Nations. In its document, the E.U. endorsed several norms of behavior that address topics from intentional activities that create space debris to those who impair space-based services. It also backed transparency in space activities, equivalent to sharing details about space policies and providing prelaunch notifications.
Many observers, though, are skeptical that working group members will find a way to achieve consensus on a final report with any substantial recommendations. A separate document submitted by Russia said that the OWEG report should endorse a legally binding treaty on stopping placement of weapons in space, a difficulty long advocated by Russia and China but opposed by the U.S. and plenty of other Western nations.