Finding a place in the geostationary orbit: aim is to ensure access for all.

The UNISPACE 82 Conference noted the explosive growth in recent years in the use of the geostationary orbit, especially for communication satellites. The Conference noted that the present system of registration and coordination might need to be improved to guarantee in practice, for all countries, equitable access to the geostationary orbit and frequency bands allocated to space services. Two sessions of a World Administrative Radio Conference (WARC) on the use of the geostationary orbit are scheduled to meet, in 1985 and 1988.

UNISPACE 82 also noted that most nations accept that the geostationary orbit is a part of outer space and, as such, is available for use by all States, in accordance with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. However, equatorial countries consider that the geostationary orbit is a physical phenomenon related to the earth's gravity. For this reason, these countries maintain, it should not be included in the concept of outer space and its use should be regulated under a sui generis regime.

The study (A/AC.105/340)--"The Feasibility of Obtaining Closer Spacing of Satellites in the Geostationary Orbit"--was prepared with the assistance of a group of experts from Colombia, Czechoslovakia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Pakistan, Sweden, USSR and United Kingdon.

Conclusions: Closer spacing of satellites in the geostationary orbit is feasible and certain technologies exist to allow greater overall efficiency in the orbit's use. Some technologies and techniques are already in the implementation phase; others could be implemented on a large scale in the next five to 10 years. The efficient use of the orbit is expected to increase noticeably. However, full advantage of the benefits can be achieved only when new techniques are widely used.

The most crowded parts of the orbit are the arcs from 49[deg.]E to 90[deg.]E (over the Indian Ocean), from 135[deg.]W to 87[deg.]W (serving North America) and from 1[deg.]W to 35[deg.]W (over the Atlantic Ocean). For some parts of the orbit, such as over the western Pacific, there would appear to be little prospect of congestion. Since each country or region can only use a portion of the orbit for its communication needs, any competition for positions will be between a certain number of countries and not global.

Under present procedures, although some countries have had difficulties adapting their proposed satellites to existing assignments, no country has been denied access to the geostationary orbit for any satellite. Technological advances, including those contributing to a reduction in spacing, could help to ensure continuing access.

Given that satellite and Earth station technology will continue to develop and that a growing number of systems using different technologies will be introduced, the potential minimum spacing between satellites will vry with time and with position in the geostationary orbit.

Though the possibility of collisions between satellites and other objects in the geostationary orbit is not yet serious, a systematic study of the problem of collisions may be needed to find ways to avert them.

Advantages offered by communication satellites for telecommunications and broadcasting have influenced planners in developing countries, who want...