Bringing Outer Space Governance into the 21st Century

This project, entitled "Bringing Outer Space Governance into the 21st Century", will provide knowledge synthesis on the question: "What measures can be taken to improve outer space treaties and international governance, given the rapidly changing activities and expanding technologies in outer space?" Rapidly evolving technologies and increasing numbers and types of space actors have generated numerous urgent challenges that international space law and governance are struggling to address, manage, and mitigate. These challenges include orbital debris, light and radio pollution from satellites, disputes over space mining, coordination challenges in orbit as well as on-and-around the Moon, and uncontrolled re-entries of rocket bodies. These challenges intersect with escalating security issues as space continues to be militarized and weaponized. These shortcomings in international space law and governance have furthered adversarial relations between states. They have also allowed space actors to escape accountability for their actions. Space scientists have warned that, if international space law and governance are not reshaped and strengthened to meet these challenges, activities in some areas of outer space could be seriously jeopardized. This knowledge synthesis project will respond to that warning by collecting the very best existing research and stakeholder knowledge and using it to identify how international space law and governance can be improved. The two co-applicants have demonstrated expertise in international space law and governance They have published extensively on these topics and are members of academic and policy networks that can be effectively leveraged for this project. Their work on this project will be supported by Charlotte Hook, a PhD student in Political Science at the University of British Columbia who previously worked as a full-time research technician on an interdisciplinary team combining astrophysics and international space law. Hook's work on the project will take place in both Canada and the UK, maximizing the collaboration between the co-applicants and enabling fulsome engagement with stakeholders in both countries. This project will make three key contributions: (1) It will provide decision-makers in Canada and the UK with a knowledge synthesis report on the best recent research and recommendations on outer space governance, thereby assisting their policy development and space diplomacy. (2) It will identify needs and opportunities for future research through its evaluation of the current state of knowledge. (3) It will engage in knowledge mobilization throughout the project with cross-sectoral input to facilitate dialogue between stakeholders, increase knowledge of outer space governance and treaties, and find points of consensus for how to improve outer space governance. Outer space is suffering from a lack of certainty and consensus in international space law and governance. New technological developments and space actors create risks and opportunities that are not being addressed or exploited. By identifying and synthesizing the best recent research and stakeholder knowledge, along with actionable recommendations, this project will greatly assist decision-makers in addressing current and new challenges in outer space.