Fairness and responsibility in space activities

Abstract

This conference raised many questions about the fair and responsible use of outer space, but two questions seem to me of particular importance: (1) Do all space actors have common understanding of what is meant by “fair and responsible”? and (2) How does the international community ensure that space actors use the precious resource represented by outer space, and especially Earth orbits, responsibly and fairly? In attempting to answer these questions in this conference, I fear that we opened more lines of inquiry than we closed. Nevertheless, the conference presentations and the ensuing discussion, both during the formal proceedings and during the breaks and meals, demonstrated significant progress in sharpening the dialogue towards finding workable solutions to the challeng