There are around 11,000 satellites orbiting Earth, and it is estimated that at least 50,000 more will be launched in the next decade. There are also exploration instruments, resupply vessels, and complexes like the International Space Station. But who regulates all this activity in space? In the absence of clear regulations, the European Union has proposed the Space Act, a set of measures that seeks to make the European space sector a cleaner, safer, and more competitive environment, both domestically and in international markets.

The European Commission maintains that current space regulation within the eurozone is fragmented into various national approaches, which slows innovation, reduces European participation in the global market, and generates additional costs.

According to the EU executive, the draft legislation will boost the expansion of companies in the bloc into other markets, as it is designed to simplify procedures, protect assets in orbit, and promote a level playing field. The regulation focuses on three key pillars:

• Safety: Faced with more than 128 million pieces of debris circulating in space, the Space Act introduces measures to optimize the tracking of objects in orbit and prevent the generation of new debris. These include specific requirements to ensure the disposal of satellites at the end of their lives.
• Resilience: The commission warns that space infrastructures are facing increasing cyber threats, capable of compromising the operation of satellites or disrupting essential services. The proposal therefore requires all operators to conduct risk assessments throughout the lifecycle of their in-orbit systems. They will also be required to submit detailed incident reports and adopt updated cybersecurity standards.
• Sustainability: As space activities increase, it becomes crucial to efficiently 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 statement, the commission stresses that “the new rules would apply to both EU and national space assets, as well as to non-EU operators...