Space Junk Letter

The Final Dumping Ground

Eco Freako Environmental Cartoons Volume 1 and 2

His Excellency António Guterres

Secretary-General of the United Nations

United Nations Headquarters

405 East 42nd Street

New York, NY 10017, USA

Dear Secretary-General Guterres,

Earth’s orbit is becoming an increasingly crowded and polluted global commons. Dead satellites, spent rocket stages and fragments from collisions and explosions travel at orbital speeds, where even small pieces can disable spacecraft. The danger extends far beyond the space industry: satellites support communications, navigation, weather forecasting, disaster response, agriculture, banking, climate science and environmental monitoring. A major collision can also create thousands of new fragments, increasing the risk of a self-reinforcing collision cascade.

The international community already has useful space-debris and long-term-sustainability guidelines, but they remain largely voluntary. I urge the United Nations to lead negotiations for a binding international treaty on orbital debris before congestion becomes much harder and more expensive to control.

First, the treaty should make prevention mandatory. Satellite and launch operators should be required to minimise debris, passivate spent stages, provide reliable end-of-life disposal, register and track spacecraft, and remove them promptly from protected orbital regions after their missions end.

Second, the treaty should establish international rules for space traffic management and responsibility. Operators should share accurate orbital data, coordinate collision-avoidance manoeuvres and remain legally and financially responsible for their spacecraft throughout their life cycle. Licensing fees, insurance requirements or environmental bonds could help ensure that those creating orbital risks contribute to prevention and remediation.

Third, the treaty should prohibit deliberate debris-generating activities, including destructive anti-satellite tests, and create an internationally agreed system for removing the most dangerous legacy objects before they collide.

Cleaning up orbit after it becomes dangerously congested will be technically difficult, costly and politically contentious. Prevention is therefore the safest and most economical strategy. Humanity should establish the rules before the final frontier becomes another polluted environment that future generations must repair.

Yours sincerely, [Your name]

Who to send it to in order of priority

Please send this letter to the UN Secretary-General, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, and the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. If you are Australian, also send the letter to the Australian Foreign Minister.

Slightly modify the opening and final paragraph for each recipient rather than sending four completely identical letters. These are postal addresses.

António Guterres — UN Secretary-General

His Excellency António Guterres Secretary-General of the United Nations United Nations Headquarters 405 East 42nd Street New York, NY 10017 USA

Aarti Holla-Maini — Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).

Ms Aarti Holla-Maini Director United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs United Nations Office at Vienna Vienna International Centre Wagramerstrasse 5 A-1220 Vienna AUSTRIA

Ambassador Melita Župevc — First Vice-Chair of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) for 2026–2027.

Ambassador Melita Župevc First Vice-Chair, COPUOS Permanent Representation of Slovenia to the UN, OSCE and Other International Organisations Opernring 1/R, Top 309 1010 Vienna AUSTRIA

Senator Penny Wong — Australian Foreign Minister

National governments ultimately have to negotiate, support and ratify it. Australia could advocate within COPUOS and the General Assembly for negotiations to begin.

Senator the Hon Penny Wong Minister for Foreign Affairs Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 AUSTRALIA