Historical Evolution of the Concept of Space Traffic Management Since 1932: The Need for a Change of Terminology

Although space traffic management (STM) has been the subject of numerous articles and reports in the last decades, there is still confusion around its nature, scope and objectives, with each study usually developing its own definition. Even the origins and historical developments of the concept are unknown to most experts. Although the terminology and concept of STM are usually attributed to Dr Lubos Perek in 1982, the idea of regulating space traffic has been present and formalised since the early beginnings of space law, starting in the 1930s and became a widely debated topic in the 1950s and 1960s. It then reached its current popularity after a definite comeback in the late 1990s. After providing a comprehensive analysis of the origins and historical developments of STM, this article argues that it is important to take a step back and question the concept itself. Owing to the unfortunate choice of the term 'management' in STM, many space law and policy scholars may not be exploring the full scope of the issue. In order to meaningfully contribute to the advancement of space safety and sustainability, it is time to go beyond the restrictive term of STM and adopt a new wording reflecting the reality of the field, which mostly consists of promoting standardisation and communication between stakeholders, rather than management and control per se. (c) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Although space traffic management (STM) has been extensively studied, there is still confusion around its nature, origins, and historical developments. The article suggests questioning the concept itself and moving beyond the term 'management' to focus on promoting standardization and communication among stakeholders.