Article 73

Constellations

1. Union spacecraft operators of a constellation, a mega-constellation or a giga-constellation shall:

(a) ensure that each individual spacecraft has a propulsion system;

(b) maintain at the ground segment a catalogue of the individual spacecraft trajectories and perform on a daily basis collision risk screenings;

(c) ensure the safety in accordance with the requirements laid down in point 1, of Annex VI, as regards intra-constellation collision avoidance measures;

(d) comply with the additional reporting obligations referred to in point 2, of Annex VI.

2. Union spacecraft operators of a mega-constellation or a giga-constellation shall:

(a) take into consideration, for the choice of the orbit, the following elements:

(i) the full constellation deployment’s impact on the orbit congestion;

(ii) before choosing the orbit, existing constellations in orbit;

(iii) ensure that the orbit chosen does not collocate with other space object implying a high number of recurrent and systematic conjunction situations;

(iv) the total number of collision avoidance manoeuvres expected during the lifetime of the satellite constellation.

(b) limit the consequences of dead-on arrival spacecraft, by injecting spacecraft at an orbit:

(i) that allows a short re-entry period of the spacecraft;

(ii) where there are limited collision risks.

(c) ensure that the requested probability of successful disposal referred to in Article 70(1), point (c), is proportionate to the number of spacecraft;

(d) ensure that the time spent in orbit after the end-of-life is lower compared to the one laid down in Annex V.

3. Union space operators of a giga-constellation shall provide to the competent authority, during the spacecraft design and operation, a plan evidencing the availability of propellant necessary to tackle the high number of manoeuvres related to the anticipated number of required collision avoidance.

4. The Commission shall, by means of implementing acts:

(a) specify the risk of intra-constellation collision, in accordance with point 1.2, point (c), of Annex VI;

(b) limit light and radio pollution, in accordance with point 2.1, of Annex VI.
Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 114(2).

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