## 2 Satellites and 'Mega-Constellations'  
### Satellites  
With regards to a legal definition of a satellite, the United States Code: Title 51 includes satellites among other space vehicles considered within the category of traffic in Outer Space. For example, the definition of 'aeronautical and space vehicles' consists of a list including \"aircraft, missiles, satellites, and other space vehicles, manned and unmanned, together with related equipment, devices, components, and parts\" (Legal Information Institute 2010, US Code: Title 51, SubSection 20103, Definition (2)). Thus, satellites constitute one of a number of vehicles that form the traffic in Outer Space. However, a legal definition more specific to the function of a satellite itself is described as \"a manufactured object or vehicle intended to orbit the earth, the moon, or another celestial body\" ([PERSON] 2019, p. 1), as referenced by [PERSON]. Satellites have been associated with Outer Space since humankind's first interaction with the domain with the launch of Sputnik I in 1957. The launch of this satellite constituted the landmark moment that \"heralded the dawn of the space age, the space race (initially between the USSR and the United States), and the legal regulation of the use and exploration of outer space\" ([PERSON] 2015, p. 82). Thus, as noted by [PERSON], \"launch and the use of space for communications have been around since the dawn of the space age, with all subsequent development of space law (at least implicitly) needing to account for these basic space activities\" ([PERSON] 2021, p. 58). This law will be investigated in Section 3. Since the launch of the first satellite, the benefits that humankind has reaped have been significant--telecommunications, internet, radio, GPS, and many more daily utilities that would not be possible without the presence of these satellites in orbits around the Earth. These orbits are varied, with low Earth orbit (LEO) being the orbit most discussed with regards to satellite interaction with astronomy. [PERSON] and [PERSON] note that \"Satellites in LEO are mostly for scientific and remote sensing purposes, although some communications systems also make use of them and the International Space Station (ISS) is in LEO\" ([PERSON] and [PERSON] 2018, p. 153). There are also GPS satellites in medium Earth orbit (MEO) and satellites in geostationary orbit (GSO). With regards to the designation of spaces for satellites in these orbits, their availability is determined \"on a 'first come, first served' basis\" ([PERSON] and [PERSON] 2018, p. 154), currently regulated by the law that will be discussed in Section 3. However, while the notion that there is not enough space in the vastness of Outer Space may seem absurd, the traffic of satellites in these orbits has rapidly increased. Thisis in order to keep up with global \"reliance on satellites for many different applications, including communications, banking transactions, aviation routing, weather observations, disaster management, climate change monitoring, military activities, and other safety and security services\" ([PERSON] et al., 2015, p. 109). It is noted by [PERSON] and [PERSON] that \"[w]hen the use of space began satellites were usually launched singly, and only occasionally with a companion. As time went on, larger and larger satellites were put into space for an expanding variety of functions\" ([PERSON] and [PERSON], 2018, p. 239). While it could be misconceived that satellites would have negligible impact in terms of size and space in one of Earth's orbits, it is important to be aware that \"[c]communications satellites in geostationary orbital slots can now be as large as a multi-storey building, with solar panels extending considerably beyond their main bodies\" ([PERSON] and [PERSON], 2018, p. 240). However, due to technological advances, there has been a shift away from larger satellites towards smaller satellites.