Space Security and Competition for Radio Frequencies and Geostationary Slots

Secure and sustainable use of space is at the heart of any achievement of space security. Outer space is benefiting and becoming accessible to more and more users everywhere in the world. However, with this accessibility comes the reality of it being limited in terms of the natural resources that are indispensable for its use, particularly radio frequencies and orbital positions. With more and more states demanding access to the limited resources in outer space, the achievement of space security becomes threatened. This paper addresses some of the issues which surround the use of and interference with radio frequencies and the challenges in securing the ready availability of appropriate radio frequencies and the geostationary orbital slots. There is a brief analysis of the existing legal framework, which indicates its inadequacies to deal with these problems. Finally, the paper also suggests possible changes in the legal and regulatory regime which are necessary to guarantee equitable interference-free use of appropriate radio frequencies and geostationary orbital positions so that the space security is maintained in the future