US announcing talks with EU to limit space debris
Jan 17, 2012, 4:02 PM
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) – The United States is announcing talks with the European Union to set informal rules aimed at limiting debris in space that threatens satellites.
A senior U.S. official says Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will announce the talks Tuesday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement.
The EU already has made public its own draft rules for operating in space. The U.S. official says the United States views that document as a starting point but would like to see changes. The United States also wants other countries, including Russia and China, involved.
U.S. and EU concerns were spurred by China’s move to pulverize a disabled weather satellite in 2007. The test sent large amounts of debris into orbit.
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