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Recent Developments in Space Law pp 43–59Cite as

International Space Governance: Challenges for the Global Space Community

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Abstract

International space governance is essential to realize all the benefits that space assets provide. The overall goal of international space governance is to make certain that the sustainable and peaceful uses of space are attained and sustained in order to allow for security, economic, civil and environmental applications and value-added services. Concomitantly, there are challenges for the global space community to the realization of a more effective approach to international space governance. One challenge relates to collective action in relation to the commons of space. Herein, addressing competition and congestion in the space domain is paramount. Governance provided by the Outer Space Treaty regime that establishes the legal norm of space as a commons, the example of orbital debris, and the case of Earth observation data coordination are examined in this context. A second challenge concerns strategic stability in the space domain on the basis of sustainable uses of space as a shared strategic goal among space actors. The focus with this model of governance is on strategic assurance, which entails protection related to space assets and the broader end of sustainable uses of space, to mitigate scenarios whereby competition and contesting of space assets threaten the sustained use of the space environment. Assessed in this regard are lawful means of space protection, deterrence to protect space assets and approaches to global engagement. Ideally, approaching international space governance more formally in law and more comprehensively addresses challenges—collective action and strategic assurance—to more optimal outcomes for the governance and uses of space.

The chapter contains material from the author’s previous work “Handbook of Space Security, 2015”.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Eligar Sadeh, ed., Space Strategy in the 21 st Century: Theory and Policy (Routledge, 2013).

  2. 2.

    “Special Issue: Towards a National Space Strategy”, Astropolitics 8:2–3 (2010).

  3. 3.

    Nancy Gallagher, “International Cooperation and Space Governance Strategy”, in Eligar Sadeh, ed., Space Strategy in the 21 st Century: Theory and policy (Routledge, 2013).

  4. 4.

    The OST regime includes the body of International Law, principles and Resolutions of international Space Law under the auspices of the United Nations. See the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs, available at <http://www.unoosa.org> last visited, 29 April 2016.

  5. 5.

    James D. Rendleman, “Strategy for Space Assurance”, in Eligar Sadeh, ed., Space Strategy in the 21 st Century: Theory and policy (Routledge, 2013).

  6. 6.

    Eligar Sadeh, “Spacepower and the Environment”, in Charles D. Lutes and Peter L., Hays, Toward a Theory of Spacepower (National Defense University Press, 2011).

  7. 7.

    Garrett Hardin, “The Tragedy of the Commons”, Science 162 (1968): 1243–1248.

  8. 8.

    National Security Strategy, President of the USA, May 2010, 40.

  9. 9.

    Supra note 4.

  10. 10.

    Orbital Debris Quarterly News, Vol. 20, Issues 1 & 2, April 2016, Orbital Debris Program Office, NASA, available at <http://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/newsletter/pdfs/ODQNv20i1-2.pdf> last visited, 28 April 2016.

  11. 11.

    Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee, available at <http://www.iadc-online.org> last visited, 28 April 2016.

  12. 12.

    Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs, 2010). For General Assembly endorsement, United Nations General Assembly, Resolution A/Res/62/217, 10 January 2008.

  13. 13.

    “Report of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee on its forty-sixth session, held in Vienna from 9 to 20 February 2009”, Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, United Nations General Assembly A/AC.105/933, 6 March 2009.

  14. 14.

    Best practices reflected in the Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines limit debris released during normal operations; minimize the potential for break-ups during operational phases; limit the probability of accidental collisions in orbit; avoid intentional destruction and other harmful activities; minimize potential for post-mission break-ups resulting from stored energy; limit the long-term presence of spacecraft and launch vehicle orbital stages in LEO; and limit the long-term interference of spacecraft and launch vehicle orbital stages with GEO.

  15. 15.

    Classification of Geosynchronous Objects, European Space Agency, February 2010; and Classification of Geosynchronous Objects, European Space Agency, 28 March 2015, available at <http://www.astronomer.ru/data/0128/ESAclassification_Issue17.pdf> last visited, 28 April 2016.

  16. 16.

    Supra note 3.

  17. 17.

    Supra note 7.

  18. 18.

    Eligar Sadeh, “Harmonization of Earth Observation Data: Global Change and Collective Action Conflict”, Astropolitics 3:2 (2005).

  19. 19.

    Committee on Earth Observation Satellites Toward an Integrated Global Observing Strategy, 1997 Yearbook (Surrey, UK: Smith System Engineering Limited, 1997).

  20. 20.

    Group on Earth Observations, available at <http://www.earthobservations.org> last visited, 28 April 2016.

  21. 21.

    Molly K. Macauley, “Earth Observations and Space Strategy”, in Eligar Sadeh, ed., Space Strategy in the 21 st Century: Theory and Policy (Routledge, 2013).

  22. 22.

    Principles relating to remote sensing of the Earth from space, United Nations, 3 December 1986, available at <http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/41/a41r065.htm> last visited, 29 April 2016.

  23. 23.

    Ibid., Principle XII.

  24. 24.

    Supra note 6.

  25. 25.

    P.J. Blount, “Limits on Space Weapons: Incorporating the Law of War into the Corpus Juris Spatialis”, International Institute of Space Law Colloquium, International Astronautics Congress, Glasgow, UK, October 2008.

  26. 26.

    Adam E. Frey, “Defense of US Space Assets: A Legal Perspective”, Air & Space Power Journal, 1 December 2008.

  27. 27.

    The Moon Agreement also declares the Moon the “Common Heritage of Mankind”. Common Heritage of Mankind differs from the “Province of all Mankind” of the OST in that it establishes the natural resources of the Moon as a common property resource for all mankind. If this is accepted, the Moon Agreement requires that lunar resources, once exploitation commences, be shared equitably through an international arrangement, such as an international regime. Of note is that the Common Heritage of Mankind principle is part of the UN Law of the Sea as it applies to the exploitation of the deep seabed and the associated regime of governance with the International Seabed Authority.

  28. 28.

    Roger G. Harrison, Deron R. Jackson, and Collins G. Shackelford, “Space Deterrence: The Delicate Balance of Risk”, Space and Defense 3:1 (2009).

  29. 29.

    General Kehler, Commander of Air Force Space Command, Inside the Air Force, April 2008.

  30. 30.

    Alexei Arbatov, “Preventing an Arms Race in Outer Space”, in Alexandre Kalliadine and Alexei Arbatov, eds., Russia: Arms Control, Disarmament, and International Security (Institute of World Economy and International Relations, 2010); and Li Bin and Nie Hongzhen, “An Investigation of China-US Strategic Stability”, Gregory Kulacki’s translation of article in Chinese in World Economics and Politics (2008).

  31. 31.

    Karen E. House, US Public Delegate to the 63rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Delivered in the Debate on Outer Space (Disarmament Aspects) of the General Assembly’s First Committee, 20 October 2008, Arms Control Update, US Delegation to the Conference on Disarmament, Geneva, Department of State, USA.

  32. 32.

    “Treaty on the Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space, the Threat or Use of Force against Space Objects”, draft of 12 February 2008.

  33. 33.

    Conference on Disarmament, 9 March 2015, available at <http://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B9C2E/(httpNewsByYear_en)/339C2946631405E9C1257E03005F9CD4?OpenDocument> last visited, 29 April 2016.

  34. 34.

    Theresa Hitchens, “Multilateralism in Space: Opportunities and Challenges for Achieving Space Security”, Space and Defense 4:2 (2010).

  35. 35.

    In CD discussions on 9 March 2015 on the merits of the updated PPWT, some states supported the commencement of negotiations, while others voiced reservations, saying a new legally binding instrument needed to be comprehensive, precise, and verifiable. States also discussed the merits of transparent confidence-building measures, space debris, and the development and testing of destructive anti-satellite weapons; available at <http://www.unog.ch/80256EDD006B9C2E/(httpNewsByYear_en)/339C2946631405E9C1257E03005F9CD4?OpenDocument> last visited, 29 April 2016.

  36. 36.

    Report of the Commission to Assess United States National Security Space Management and Organization, available at <http://www.dod.gov/pubs/space20010111.html> last visited, 28 April 2016.

  37. 37.

    Supra note 29.

  38. 38.

    “Draft Report of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space on the implementation of the Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III)”, United Nations General Assembly, A/AC.105/C.1/L.272, 21 November 2003.

  39. 39.

    “Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space Report on activities carried out in 2009 in the framework of the United Nations Platform on Space-based Information for Disaster and Emergency Response”, United Nations General Assembly A/AC.105/955, 23 December 2009.

  40. 40.

    Theresa Hitchens, “Multilateralism in Space: Opportunities and Challenges for Achieving Space Security”, Space and Defense 4:2 (2010).

  41. 41.

    “Revised Draft Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities”, European Union, September 2010.

  42. 42.

    International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities, Press Statement, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State, Washington, DC, 17 January 2012.

  43. 43.

    Supra note 34.

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  1. Astroconsulting International LLC, Fort Collins, CO, USA

    Eligar Sadeh

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Correspondence to Eligar Sadeh .

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  1. National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

    R. Venkata Rao

  2. Indian Space Research Organisation, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

    V. Gopalakrishnan

  3. National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

    Kumar Abhijeet

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Sadeh, E. (2017). International Space Governance: Challenges for the Global Space Community. In: Rao, R., Gopalakrishnan, V., Abhijeet, K. (eds) Recent Developments in Space Law. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4926-2_4

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