The United States and France are also tracking cosmic garbage

US and French defense ministers signed a cooperation agreement yesterday to monitor space junk and prevent the risk of collisions between artificial satellites of the two countries.

Two American spy satellites.(Photo: xyberlog.com)

As the number of countries launching artificial satellites into space is increasing, the risk of collisions between satellites and international space disputes will increase, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said. Press conference with his French counterpart, Alain Juppe.

" This treaty will promote security and reduce the risk of incidents, misunderstandings and unanticipated disputes between the two countries ," AFP quoted Mr Gates.

An unnamed US Department of Defense official told AFP that, under a treaty agreement, the US and France would share technical data and consider the possibility of establishing 'common space monitoring networks'. . The purpose of the document is to promote sharing of garbage information and the risk of collisions between artificial satellites.

' We are shifting our focus from protection to information sharing, ' the official said.

Communication, global positioning, spying and espionage by US troops and allies depend closely on artificial satellites. So American officials are increasingly concerned about the risks to their artificial satellites. The treaty reflects a Washington space security policy whereby the United States wants to cooperate with other countries to reduce costs and minimize risks to artificial satellites. The US signed a space cooperation agreement with Australia last year and Washington is in talks with Canada to move toward a similar document.

The US space monitoring system is monitoring about 22,000 artificial objects in the universe. Experts estimate that several hundred thousand pieces of cosmic trash are too small to be watched by humans.