https://twitter.com/DutchSpace/status/1189250317310976000
Quote from: Jester on 10/27/2019 04:24 pmhttps://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1999734/x-37b-breaks-record-lands-after-780-days-in-orbit/ “This mission successfully hosted Air Force Research Laboratory experiments, among others, as well as providing a ride for small satellites.”NPR has mentioned this tweet from Jonathan McDowell criticizing the smallsat portion of the mission: Quote from: Jonathan McDowellThe statement that this @usairforce X-37 flight deployed small satellites is alarming, since the US has not reported those deployments in its UN Registration Convention submissions. This would be the first time that either the USA or Russia has blatantly flouted the Convention.*SNIP*I’m not convinced that this is actually the case, but nevertheless thought the allegation to be worth mentioning here.
https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1999734/x-37b-breaks-record-lands-after-780-days-in-orbit/ “This mission successfully hosted Air Force Research Laboratory experiments, among others, as well as providing a ride for small satellites.”
The statement that this @usairforce X-37 flight deployed small satellites is alarming, since the US has not reported those deployments in its UN Registration Convention submissions. This would be the first time that either the USA or Russia has blatantly flouted the Convention.*SNIP*I’m not convinced that this is actually the case, but nevertheless thought the allegation to be worth mentioning here.
It's worth noting that submitting satellites to the UN registry is entirely voluntary.
Quote from: whitelancer64 on 10/29/2019 07:53 pmIt's worth noting that submitting satellites to the UN registry is entirely voluntary. In this coming age of million-sat constellations and thrill-seeking commercial people-launch outfits, how long before something or someone runs into one of these unannounced satellites? - Ed Kyle
Quote from: Jester on 10/27/2019 04:24 pmhttps://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1999734/x-37b-breaks-record-lands-after-780-days-in-orbit/ “This mission successfully hosted Air Force Research Laboratory experiments, among others, as well as providing a ride for small satellites.”NPR has mentioned this tweet from Jonathan McDowell criticizing the smallsat portion of the mission: Quote from: Jonathan McDowellThe statement that this @usairforce X-37 flight deployed small satellites is alarming, since the US has not reported those deployments in its UN Registration Convention submissions. This would be the first time that either the USA or Russia has blatantly flouted the Convention.Source: https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1188513737571033089I’m not convinced that this is actually the case, but nevertheless thought the allegation to be worth mentioning here.
The statement that this @usairforce X-37 flight deployed small satellites is alarming, since the US has not reported those deployments in its UN Registration Convention submissions. This would be the first time that either the USA or Russia has blatantly flouted the Convention.Source: https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1188513737571033089
Under the terms of the 1976 Registration Convention the US signed, the US must report all satellites that it launches. Not reporting satellites is a violation of the convention. This makes people like Jonathan upset, but there is really nothing that Jonathan or the UN can do about it.https://www.spacelegalissues.com/the-1976-registration-convention/"Each State of registry shall furnish to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, as soon as practicable, the following information concerning each space object carried on its registry:(a) Name of launching State or States;(b) An appropriate designator of the space object or its registration number;(c) Date and territory or location of launch;(d) Basic orbital parameters, including: (i) Nodal period; (ii) Inclination; (iii) Apogee; (iv) Perigee;(e) General function of the space object."Legal definition of "shall"."when drafting a legal document, the term shall is used to indicate that something must be done, as opposed to the term may which simply means that something is allowed (ie that it can be done, but does not have to be done)"https://www.translegal.com/legal-english-dictionary/shall
[Note: Prior to 1981 all Intelsat launches were registered by the US.Since then no state has registered Intelsat launches. Of the 118unregistered US satellites, 28 are Intelsat satellites, 5 are SpaceShuttle missions, 2 are space station modules, 3 are civiliansatellites, 67 are commercial satellites, 6 are unclassified militarysatellites, and 7 are classified military satellites.]
