Thus, there is a space debris national security problem for all nations that will make news headlines in 1999 and the year 2000. It is important not to mix operational orbiting satellite payloads with non-operational space debris satellite payloads. Only when operational satellite and payloads become totally non-operational are they legally space debris. About five to ten percent of satellites and payloads tracked above 10 centimeters. are fully operational. Crippled satellites are not legally space debris.
Explosions are one large source of space debris.
Many in government and in diplomacy point to the technical and legal voluntary compliance programs, laws, regulations, and decrees of nations, in their own self-interest, to control this rapid increased spread of space debris. The United States has promptly and voluntarily complied in United States Presidential Executive Orders, and in Department of Defense, Department of Transportation and Department of Commerce work to measure, model, reduce, control, and mitigate space debris. The subject is under continued national and international review. Neither category of measures require development of new technology. Measures of Category I should be applied immediately, while measures of Category II should be applied by all space operators from an agreed time point onwards.