All articles tagged with #space governance
Artemis II marks a historic crewed lunar flyby and symbolic progress, but The Conversation AU argues that it also raises questions about US leadership in space, how lunar resources will be governed, and whether international law will bind a new space economy amid US–China rivalry.
The rapid increase in the number of satellites and debris in low Earth orbit is challenging the international governance model for space activities. The United Nations' Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) has been handling space governance, but its consensus-based model and large size make progress slow. Efforts are underway to address space sustainability through alternative mechanisms, including the United Nations' Summit of the Future in 2024 and the development of binding agreements or widely adopted norms and guidelines. Other initiatives, such as the World Economic Forum's guidelines for mitigating orbital debris and the European Space Agency's Zero Debris Charter, aim to promote responsible space practices. However, the need for a global space government framework becomes increasingly urgent as low Earth orbit becomes more congested.
The increasing number of Earth-orbiting megaconstellations, such as Starlink and OneWeb, is causing concern among astronomers who fear that the light from an estimated 400,000 satellites planned for low Earth orbit in the coming years will interfere with their observations. The International Astronomical Union's Center for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference is working to find a common understanding between the need for global internet coverage and the protection of astronomy. The most rapid progress in mitigating the impacts of megaconstellations on astronomy comes from cooperative efforts by industry, some of which are now made a condition of operational licensing by the Federal Communications Commission.