6 - 10 June 2022
Under The Sky We Are All One Family - Dedicated to UNOOSA
We all belong to planet Earth, and we need to work together (image: NASA)
The UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) will complete their 65th session today, and perhaps not enough of us are aware just how important their work is, in building a peaceful future in space. Founded in 1959, COPUOS is tasked with building international cooperation on the peaceful uses of space, and legal matters relating to outer space exploration.
When they first formed, space was the new frontier, controlled and influenced by the superpowers of the day. The task of the UN at the time was to bring nations together in an attempt to protect our future in space, and their milestone success came in the form of the Outer Space Treaty 1967 (OST). The OST became the framework on which nations could build their commitment to peaceful space. We can certainly argue that this has been a success, with most nations (and all spacefaring nations) ratifying the treaty.
But over 60 years later, we now have a deeper and vested interest in space. No longer is it only a domain for governments and national agencies, nor is it purely about the discovery of our journey in the cosmos. Celestial bodies, including our Moon, have increasingly become an area of interest for nation states and the private sector throughout the world. The Moon could present us with an untapped wealth of natural resources, energy solutions, communications and data storage, and provide our springboard to other worlds. Furthermore, the innovation that is needed to achieve these goals is well on the way.
The leaders in space are still the USA and Russia, with China catching up quickly. But the industry is changing at a rapid pace. Whereas space was once run by two superpowers, it is now being populated by many other players, and they’re all looking at the same prize; using space as a service, and tapping into its resources. However, we are now met with a major problem; technological innovation is massively outpacing legislation.
The OST has been ratified by all major space powers, but is it sufficient to govern our future activities? Does it allow nations to extract resources from the Moon? Fundamentally, as our plans grow bigger, and more and more public and private sector companies enter the new space economy, can it maintain the peaceful uses of outer space? Some would argue not, and that another solution is needed.
We await the outcome if this year’s COPUOS meeting.
Space is no longer only for just the superpowers
Governments around the world are understanding the importance of space, whether it’s building their satellite networks, or looking beyond to the opportunities of outer space. Space is certainly no longer the domain of the superpowers.
South Korea are set to become the seventh nation to launch a lunar probe. The mission named “Danuri” is set to launch on a Falcon rocket this August. Furthermore, the UK government has continued this week with its commitment to expand their influence in space, by announcing a £2 billion investment in defence science & technology, including a new satellite launch. The UK will also work with Virgin Orbit later this year in what will be the first ever UK satellite launch from British soil.
India continue with their ambitious plans in space. After announcing their first ever private spacecraft manufacturing facility last week, India have committed again to human spaceflight by next year. In another call for independent spaceflight, French astronaut Thomas Pesquet has called for “European space independence”. He says that building on European diplomacy and defence, Europe must also commit to their own launch capabilities. Independent launch capabilities would certainly be a big step forwards in turning Europe into a major space bloc. Australia is also still showing signs of their growing influence in space, with the government signing a deal with NASA this week for 3 launches from a private Australian space port.
France has become the latest nation to sign the US-led Artemis Accords. Whilst the Accords are designed to bring nations together in a new space framework, this will certainly be a big boost for US influence in space. Although new space nations continue to emerge, the US continues to exert its influence. Whilst the Accords continues to grow, Artemis-1 headed back to the launchpad this week for another attempt on a dress rehearsal launch.
Whilst the US remain leaders in space, China are still moving forwards a rapid pace. Their Tiangong space station is on course to be completed this year, and they also announced this week that they intend on bringing forwards plans to launch a solar power plant space station that would beam energy back to Earth. The UK has also commissioned research into establishing a solar power plant in space.
Space is no longer an elite club.
SpaceX are proof of the leadership of the private sector (image: Unsplash)
An increasingly influential private sector
Private sector innovation is becoming more important in our quest to utilise space and its resources. Commercial competition is bringing down costs, driving innovation and making space more accessible. Governments are relying more on private sector technology, and in return they are providing more contracts and funding for young startups.
NASA this week announced praise for small businesses in the CAPSTONE (lunar orbital) project, stating it "is made possible by collaborations with small businesses across the country”. The CAPSTONE project is a major step towards the future lunar Gateway. Furthermore, JAXA (Japanese space agency) have been working with space robotics startup GITAI to develop a new four-legged robotic lunar rover. GITAI hopes to have its technology on the Moon by the middle of this decade.
Astrobotic and NASA carried out the most realistic tests yet of their lander of rover system. NASA’s VIPER rover will be be supported by Astrobotic’s Griffin lunar lander, hopefully by 2024. They also hope to launch their smaller Peregrine lander later this year. With an increased demand in payload specifications also come a need for flexible launch facilities, which may also be provided by the private sector. Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), a German launch startup, is one example of a company working to provide tailored launch solutions, a service that could be in growing demand.
Indian startup Bellatrix Aerospace has raised $8 million funding towards the development of in-space propulsion systems, and Chinese automotive company Geely have put their first satellites in space, utilising it for their autonomous driving technology.
Airbus have taken the industry a step closer to in-situ manufacture, with the company announcing that they will deliver the first 3D metal-printer to the ISS next year, which could prove to be a milestone in regards to establishing off-Earth manufacturing.
Although governments continue to provide much of the funding required, private sector companies and young startups are sourcing more of their funding from venture capitalists. If the new space economy is to become what we think, then it will be the private sector that takes the lead.
How can we protect the future for us all?
Our future in space will no longer just involve the few spacefaring nations of the past. More nations are beginning to see their future in space, and with it a growing and more influential private sector. Space touches our everyday lives now, such as the use of satellites for communications and Earth observation. However, the new space economy is growing quickly, and so is global interest in utilising space to answer many of our problems on Earth, such as resource extraction and energy solutions. But sadly, our history is littered with instances of conflict when it comes to controlling precious resources, and opportunities have seldom been shared for the good of humankind. With technology outpacing legislation, how can we protect all of our futures, make space a success for all humanity, and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past?
There have been several suggestions and efforts to build a framework that the world can agree on. Of course the OST has provided a foundation that most nations agree on, but it doesn’t address the bigger questions of e.g. lunar mining. European MEP Niklas Nienass has been touring the United States to build relationships while also promoting a way forwards for European space law. Whilst trying to build a new European space policy, he has also criticised the Artemis Accords for its policy on resource extraction, preferring to use the Moon Agreement (1979) to allow for equal distribution of resources. An honourable solution, but one wonders how convinced nations would be sign up to this. He did also state that “it doesn’t have to be the Moon treaty” but that “…there has to be a more comprehensive text that brings together multiple stakeholders, whereas the Artemis Accords are not even a treaty.”
Drafting a universal set of rules for something such as mining the Moon will not be easy. Russia sees the Artemis Accords as a kind of space colonialism, and neither they or China are very likely to ever sign up to them. The Moon Agreement isn’t signed by the major space nations, and even updating the OST may just leave the door open for it to be rewritten again and again, watering-down its legitimacy.
Western University law professors have previously looked into using existing environmental laws, which could also be used in space to help address the lack of regulation in the emerging field. The UN Laws of the Sea could be used as an example. The law originally stated that resources from the seabed would be the common heritage of mankind. However, the US argued that this would stifle innovation and investment, and in the 1990s the law was simply updated to allow developed nations more access to resources. Could this simply happen again with any regulation relating to mining in space?
But there is another voice that hasn’t been heard, and a stakeholder that is beginning to hold more of the cards; the private sector. Without universal agreements on space comes the threat of conflict, which must be very concerning for young businesses. Without the protection and guarantees that legislation provides, investors will lack the confidence to provide the finance which young businesses so desperately need. This in turn will also deter new talent entering the field, and ultimately stagnate the industry. Insurers would also be concerned that businesses don’t have the reassurances that universal laws provide, giving companies another reason not to enter the space sector.
Could businesses provide the voice that governments need to hear? The foundations that we build now are going to affect a rapidly growing private sector, and companies that are yet to even exist. Building a peaceful future can also mean a successful one, for all of us.
UNOOSA can help us find our way
The UN was founded in the ashes of a world war, with the aim of bringing nations together. The UNOOSA and the COPUOS meetings strive to bring all nations together to build a peaceful future in outer space. The OST is evidence that this can be achieved. But politics evolve, and are never stagnant, which is the reason why events such as this week’s 65th COPUOS meeting are so important.
We can see from their agenda that the big issues are being discussed; means of maintaining outer space for peaceful purposes, sustainable development of space, spin-off benefits of space technology, space & climate change and much more. The UN is the place for all nations to come together and discuss these issues, and these should be issues that all nations are interested in.
But an ever more complex problem will require cooperation from all stakeholders, and this includes the ever-growing commercial sector. The decisions we make now will affect us all, for better or worse. Now is the time to work together, as a family of nations, and allow space to be a success for the planet, and work with the UN to promote only peaceful uses of outer space.
External Links
This Week
*News articles posted here are not property of ANASDA GmbH and belong to their respected owners. Postings here are external links only.
Our future in space
We all belong to planet Earth, and we need to work together (image: NASA)
6 - 10 June, 2022
Under The Sky We Are All One Family - Dedicated to UNOOSA
The UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) will complete their 65th session today, and perhaps not enough of us are aware just how important their work is, in building a peaceful future in space. Founded in 1959, COPUOS is tasked with building international cooperation on the peaceful uses of space, and legal matters relating to outer space exploration.
When they first formed, space was the new frontier, controlled and influenced by the superpowers of the day. The task of the UN at the time was to bring nations together in an attempt to protect our future in space, and their milestone success came in the form of the Outer Space Treaty 1967 (OST). The OST became the framework on which nations could build their commitment to peaceful space. We can certainly argue that this has been a success, with most nations (and all spacefaring nations) ratifying the treaty.
But over 60 years later, we now have a deeper and vested interest in space. No longer is it only a domain for governments and national agencies, nor is it purely about the discovery of our journey in the cosmos. Celestial bodies, including our Moon, have increasingly become an area of interest for nation states and the private sector throughout the world. The Moon could present us with an untapped wealth of natural resources, energy solutions, communications and data storage, and provide our springboard to other worlds. Furthermore, the innovation that is needed to achieve these goals is well on the way.
The leaders in space are still the USA and Russia, with China catching up quickly. But the industry is changing at a rapid pace. Whereas space was once run by two superpowers, it is now being populated by many other players, and they’re all looking at the same prize; using space as a service, and tapping into its resources. However, we are now met with a major problem; technological innovation is massively outpacing legislation.
The OST has been ratified by all major space powers, but is it sufficient to govern our future activities? Does it allow nations to extract resources from the Moon? Fundamentally, as our plans grow bigger, and more and more public and private sector companies enter the new space economy, can it maintain the peaceful uses of outer space? Some would argue not, and that another solution is needed.
We await the outcome if this year’s COPUOS meeting.
Space is no longer only for just the superpowers
Governments around the world are understanding the importance of space, whether it’s building their satellite networks, or looking beyond to the opportunities of outer space. Space is certainly no longer the domain of the superpowers.
South Korea are set to become the seventh nation to launch a lunar probe. The mission named “Danuri” is set to launch on a Falcon rocket this August. Furthermore, the UK government has continued this week with its commitment to expand their influence in space, by announcing a £2 billion investment in defence science & technology, including a new satellite launch. The UK will also work with Virgin Orbit later this year in what will be the first ever UK satellite launch from British soil.
India continue with their ambitious plans in space. After announcing their first ever private spacecraft manufacturing facility last week, India have committed again to human spaceflight by next year. In another call for independent spaceflight, French astronaut Thomas Pesquet has called for “European space independence”. He says that building on European diplomacy and defence, Europe must also commit to their own launch capabilities. Independent launch capabilities would certainly be a big step forwards in turning Europe into a major space bloc. Australia is also still showing signs of their growing influence in space, with the government signing a deal with NASA this week for 3 launches from a private Australian space port.
France has become the latest nation to sign the US-led Artemis Accords. Whilst the Accords are designed to bring nations together in a new space framework, this will certainly be a big boost for US influence in space. Although new space nations continue to emerge, the US continues to exert its influence. Whilst the Accords continues to grow, Artemis-1 headed back to the launchpad this week for another attempt on a dress rehearsal launch.
Whilst the US remain leaders in space, China are still moving forwards a rapid pace. Their Tiangong space station is on course to be completed this year, and they also announced this week that they intend on bringing forwards plans to launch a solar power plant space station that would beam energy back to Earth. The UK has also commissioned research into establishing a solar power plant in space.
Space is no longer an elite club.
SpaceX are proof of the leadership of the private sector (image: Unsplash)
An increasingly influential private sector
Private sector innovation is becoming more important in our quest to utilise space and its resources. Commercial competition is bringing down costs, driving innovation and making space more accessible. Governments are relying more on private sector technology, and in return they are providing more contracts and funding for young startups.
NASA this week announced praise for small businesses in the CAPSTONE (lunar orbital) project, stating it "is made possible by collaborations with small businesses across the country”. The CAPSTONE project is a major step towards the future lunar Gateway. Furthermore, JAXA (Japanese space agency) have been working with space robotics startup GITAI to develop a new four-legged robotic lunar rover. GITAI hopes to have its technology on the Moon by the middle of this decade.
Astrobotic and NASA carried out the most realistic tests yet of their lander of rover system. NASA’s VIPER rover will be be supported by Astrobotic’s Griffin lunar lander, hopefully by 2024. They also hope to launch their smaller Peregrine lander later this year. With an increased demand in payload specifications also come a need for flexible launch facilities, which may also be provided by the private sector. Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), a German launch startup, is one example of a company working to provide tailored launch solutions, a service that could be in growing demand.
Indian startup Bellatrix Aerospace has raised $8 million funding towards the development of in-space propulsion systems, and Chinese automotive company Geely have put their first satellites in space, utilising it for their autonomous driving technology.
Airbus have taken the industry a step closer to in-situ manufacture, with the company announcing that they will deliver the first 3D metal-printer to the ISS next year, which could prove to be a milestone in regards to establishing off-Earth manufacturing.
Although governments continue to provide much of the funding required, private sector companies and young startups are sourcing more of their funding from venture capitalists. If the new space economy is to become what we think, then it will be the private sector that takes the lead.
How can we protect the future for us all?
Our future in space will no longer just involve the few spacefaring nations of the past. More nations are beginning to see their future in space, and with it a growing and more influential private sector. Space touches our everyday lives now, such as the use of satellites for communications and Earth observation. However, the new space economy is growing quickly, and so is global interest in utilising space to answer many of our problems on Earth, such as resource extraction and energy solutions. But sadly, our history is littered with instances of conflict when it comes to controlling precious resources, and opportunities have seldom been shared for the good of humankind. With technology outpacing legislation, how can we protect all of our futures, make space a success for all humanity, and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past?
There have been several suggestions and efforts to build a framework that the world can agree on. Of course the OST has provided a foundation that most nations agree on, but it doesn’t address the bigger questions of e.g. lunar mining. European MEP Niklas Nienass has been touring the United States to build relationships while also promoting a way forwards for European space law. Whilst trying to build a new European space policy, he has also criticised the Artemis Accords for its policy on resource extraction, preferring to use the Moon Agreement (1979) to allow for equal distribution of resources. An honourable solution, but one wonders how convinced nations would be sign up to this. He did also state that “it doesn’t have to be the Moon treaty” but that “…there has to be a more comprehensive text that brings together multiple stakeholders, whereas the Artemis Accords are not even a treaty.”
Drafting a universal set of rules for something such as mining the Moon will not be easy. Russia sees the Artemis Accords as a kind of space colonialism, and neither they or China are very likely to ever sign up to them. The Moon Agreement isn’t signed by the major space nations, and even updating the OST may just leave the door open for it to be rewritten again and again, watering-down its legitimacy.
Western University law professors have previously looked into using existing environmental laws, which could also be used in space to help address the lack of regulation in the emerging field. The UN Laws of the Sea could be used as an example. The law originally stated that resources from the seabed would be the common heritage of mankind. However, the US argued that this would stifle innovation and investment, and in the 1990s the law was simply updated to allow developed nations more access to resources. Could this simply happen again with any regulation relating to mining in space?
But there is another voice that hasn’t been heard, and a stakeholder that is beginning to hold more of the cards; the private sector. Without universal agreements on space comes the threat of conflict, which must be very concerning for young businesses. Without the protection and guarantees that legislation provides, investors will lack the confidence to provide the finance which young businesses so desperately need. This in turn will also deter new talent entering the field, and ultimately stagnate the industry. Insurers would also be concerned that businesses don’t have the reassurances that universal laws provide, giving companies another reason not to enter the space sector.
Could businesses provide the voice that governments need to hear? The foundations that we build now are going to affect a rapidly growing private sector, and companies that are yet to even exist. Building a peaceful future can also mean a successful one, for all of us.
UNOOSA can help us find our way
The UN was founded in the ashes of a world war, with the aim of bringing nations together. The UNOOSA and the COPUOS meetings strive to bring all nations together to build a peaceful future in outer space. The OST is evidence that this can be achieved. But politics evolve, and are never stagnant, which is the reason why events such as this week’s 65th COPUOS meeting are so important.
We can see from their agenda that the big issues are being discussed; means of maintaining outer space for peaceful purposes, sustainable development of space, spin-off benefits of space technology, space & climate change and much more. The UN is the place for all nations to come together and discuss these issues, and these should be issues that all nations are interested in.
But an ever more complex problem will require cooperation from all stakeholders, and this includes the ever-growing commercial sector. The decisions we make now will affect us all, for better or worse. Now is the time to work together, as a family of nations, and allow space to be a success for the planet, and work with the UN to promote only peaceful uses of outer space.
Want to keep up to date? Follow ANASDA
External Links
This Week
*News articles posted here are not property of ANASDA GmbH and belong to their respected owners. Postings here are external links only.
6 - 10 June 2022
Under The Sky We Are All One Family
- Dedicated to UNOOSA
We all belong to planet Earth, and we need to work together (image: NASA)
The UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) will complete their 65th session today, and perhaps not enough of us are aware just how important their work is, in building a peaceful future in space. Founded in 1959, COPUOS is tasked with building international cooperation on the peaceful uses of space, and legal matters relating to outer space exploration.
When they first formed, space was the new frontier, controlled and influenced by the superpowers of the day. The task of the UN at the time was to bring nations together in an attempt to protect our future in space, and their milestone success came in the form of the Outer Space Treaty 1967 (OST). The OST became the framework on which nations could build their commitment to peaceful space. We can certainly argue that this has been a success, with most nations (and all spacefaring nations) ratifying the treaty.
But over 60 years later, we now have a deeper and vested interest in space. No longer is it only a domain for governments and national agencies, nor is it purely about the discovery of our journey in the cosmos. Celestial bodies, including our Moon, have increasingly become an area of interest for nation states and the private sector throughout the world. The Moon could present us with an untapped wealth of natural resources, energy solutions, communications and data storage, and provide our springboard to other worlds. Furthermore, the innovation that is needed to achieve these goals is well on the way.
The leaders in space are still the USA and Russia, with China catching up quickly. But the industry is changing at a rapid pace. Whereas space was once run by two superpowers, it is now being populated by many other players, and they’re all looking at the same prize; using space as a service, and tapping into its resources. However, we are now met with a major problem; technological innovation is massively outpacing legislation.
The OST has been ratified by all major space powers, but is it sufficient to govern our future activities? Does it allow nations to extract resources from the Moon? Fundamentally, as our plans grow bigger, and more and more public and private sector companies enter the new space economy, can it maintain the peaceful uses of outer space? Some would argue not, and that another solution is needed.
We await the outcome if this year’s COPUOS meeting.
Space is no longer only for just the superpowers
Governments around the world are understanding the importance of space, whether it’s building their satellite networks, or looking beyond to the opportunities of outer space. Space is certainly no longer the domain of the superpowers.
South Korea are set to become the seventh nation to launch a lunar probe. The mission named “Danuri” is set to launch on a Falcon rocket this August. Furthermore, the UK government has continued this week with its commitment to expand their influence in space, by announcing a £2 billion investment in defence science & technology, including a new satellite launch. The UK will also work with Virgin Orbit later this year in what will be the first ever UK satellite launch from British soil.
India continue with their ambitious plans in space. After announcing their first ever private spacecraft manufacturing facility last week, India have committed again to human spaceflight by next year. In another call for independent spaceflight, French astronaut Thomas Pesquet has called for “European space independence”. He says that building on European diplomacy and defence, Europe must also commit to their own launch capabilities. Independent launch capabilities would certainly be a big step forwards in turning Europe into a major space bloc. Australia is also still showing signs of their growing influence in space, with the government signing a deal with NASA this week for 3 launches from a private Australian space port.
France has become the latest nation to sign the US-led Artemis Accords. Whilst the Accords are designed to bring nations together in a new space framework, this will certainly be a big boost for US influence in space. Although new space nations continue to emerge, the US continues to exert its influence. Whilst the Accords continues to grow, Artemis-1 headed back to the launchpad this week for another attempt on a dress rehearsal launch.
Whilst the US remain leaders in space, China are still moving forwards a rapid pace. Their Tiangong space station is on course to be completed this year, and they also announced this week that they intend on bringing forwards plans to launch a solar power plant space station that would beam energy back to Earth. The UK has also commissioned research into establishing a solar power plant in space.
Space is no longer an elite club.
An increasingly influential private sector
Private sector innovation is becoming more important in our quest to utilise space and its resources. Commercial competition is bringing down costs, driving innovation and making space more accessible. Governments are relying more on private sector technology, and in return they are providing more contracts and funding for young startups.
SpaceX are proof of the leadership of the private sector (image: Unsplash)
NASA this week announced praise for small businesses in the CAPSTONE (lunar orbital) project, stating it "is made possible by collaborations with small businesses across the country”. The CAPSTONE project is a major step towards the future lunar Gateway. Furthermore, JAXA (Japanese space agency) have been working with space robotics startup GITAI to develop a new four-legged robotic lunar rover. GITAI hopes to have its technology on the Moon by the middle of this decade.
Astrobotic and NASA carried out the most realistic tests yet of their lander and rover system. NASA’s VIPER rover will be be supported by Astrobotic’s Griffin lunar lander, hopefully by 2024. They also hope to launch their smaller Peregrine lander later this year. With an increased demand in payload specifications also come a need for flexible launch facilities, which may also be provided by the private sector. Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), a German launch startup, is one example of a company working to provide tailored launch solutions, a service that could be in growing demand.
Indian startup Bellatrix Aerospace has raised $8 million funding towards the development of in-space propulsion systems, and Chinese automotive company Geely have put their first satellites in space, utilising it for their autonomous driving technology.
Airbus have taken the industry a step closer to in-situ manufacture, with the company announcing that they will deliver the first 3D metal-printer to the ISS next year, which could prove to be a milestone in regards to establishing off-Earth manufacturing.
Although governments continue to provide much of the funding required, private sector companies and young startups are sourcing more of their funding from venture capitalists. If the new space economy is to become what we think, then it will be the private sector that takes the lead.
How can we protect the future for us all?
Our future in space will no longer just involve the few spacefaring nations of the past. More nations are beginning to see their future in space, and with it a growing and more influential private sector. Space touches our everyday lives now, such as the use of satellites for communications and Earth observation. However, the new space economy is growing quickly, and so is global interest in utilising space to answer many of our problems on Earth, such as resource extraction and energy solutions. But sadly, our history is littered with instances of conflict when it comes to controlling precious resources, and opportunities have seldom been shared for the good of humankind. With technology outpacing legislation, how can we protect all of our futures, make space a success for all humanity, and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past?
There have been several suggestions and efforts to build a framework that the world can agree on. Of course the OST has provided a foundation that most nations agree on, but it doesn’t address the bigger questions of e.g. lunar mining. European MEP Niklas Nienass has been touring the United States to build relationships while also promoting a way forwards for European space law. Whilst trying to build a new European space policy, he has also criticised the Artemis Accords for its policy on resource extraction, preferring to use the Moon Agreement (1979) to allow for equal distribution of resources. An honourable solution, but one wonders how convinced nations would be sign up to this. He did also state that “it doesn’t have to be the Moon treaty” but that “…there has to be a more comprehensive text that brings together multiple stakeholders, whereas the Artemis Accords are not even a treaty.”
Drafting a universal set of rules for something such as mining the Moon will not be easy. Russia sees the Artemis Accords as a kind of space colonialism, and neither they or China are very likely to ever sign up to them. The Moon Agreement isn’t signed by the major space nations, and even updating the OST may just leave the door open for it to be rewritten again and again, watering-down its legitimacy.
Western University law professors have previously looked into using existing environmental laws, which could also be used in space to help address the lack of regulation in the emerging field. The UN Laws of the Sea could be used as an example. The law originally stated that resources from the seabed would be the common heritage of mankind. However, the US argued that this would stifle innovation and investment, and in the 1990s the law was simply updated to allow developed nations more access to resources. Could this simply happen again with any regulation relating to mining in space?
But there is another voice that hasn’t been heard, and a stakeholder that is beginning to hold more of the cards; the private sector. Without universal agreements on space comes the threat of conflict, which must be very concerning for young businesses. Without the protection and guarantees that legislation provides, investors will lack the confidence to provide the finance which young businesses so desperately need. This in turn will also deter new talent entering the field, and ultimately stagnate the industry. Insurers would also be concerned that businesses don’t have the reassurances that universal laws provide, giving companies another reason not to enter the space sector.
Could businesses provide the voice that governments need to hear? The foundations that we build now are going to affect a rapidly growing private sector, and companies that are yet to even exist. Building a peaceful future can also mean a successful one, for all of us.
UNOOSA can help us find our way
The UN was founded in the ashes of a world war, with the aim of bringing nations together. The UNOOSA and the COPUOS meetings strive to bring all nations together to build a peaceful future in outer space. The OST is evidence that this can be achieved. But politics evolve, and are never stagnant, which is the reason why events such as this week’s 65th COPUOS meeting are so important.
We can see from their agenda that the big issues are being discussed; means of maintaining outer space for peaceful purposes, sustainable development of space, spin-off benefits of space technology, space & climate change and much more. The UN is the place for all nations to come together and discuss these issues, and these should be issues that all nations are interested in.
But an ever more complex problem will require cooperation from all stakeholders, and this includes the ever-growing commercial sector. The decisions we make now will affect us all, for better or worse. Now is the time to work together, as a family of nations, and allow space to be a success for the planet, and work with the UN to promote only peaceful uses of outer space.
Want to keep up to date? Follow ANASDA
External Links
This Week
*News articles posted here are not property of ANASDA GmbH and belong to their respected owners. Postings here are external links only.