The number of satellites circling the Earth is increasing. A unique summit at CU looks at why that might be a problem

In The NOCO

The vast space around earth is getting a little crowded.

There are nearly 10,000 satellites in Earth’s low orbit, the space just outside our planet’s atmosphere. And space companies plan to launch tens of thousands more in coming years.

That could led to problems like interruptions to communications from satellites that monitor the weather. Or we could see satellites crashing into one another.

So how do we make rules to prevent those kinds of accidents? And how much regulation of space is too much?

A unique gathering at the University of Colorado Law School this week is confronting those questions. The Space and Spectrum Policy Conference began Tuesday.

Keith Gremban is a professor and co-director of the Spectrum Policy Initiative at CU Boulder and he helped organize this conference. He spoke with In The NoCo’s Brad Turner about why one of the main goals for the conference is simply to raise awareness of these issues.

For more on the dark sky preservation programs Keith mentioned, check out this In The NoCo interview on dark sky programs across Colorado.

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Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole
Producer: Ariel Lavery
Executive Producer: Brad Turner
Theme music by Robbie Reverb
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.