Project: Space Policy and Good Governance Cybrary

Space Policy and Good Governance

Space Policy and Good Governance refers to how nations and private organizations are to use space responsibly and peacefully. There are five treaties established by the United Nations that provide this governance (The Outer Space Treaty, The Rescue Agreement, The Liability Convention, The Registration Convention, and The Moon Agreement). Outside of these agreements, there are many opinions, recommendations, and ideas on how this should be managed.

This Center of Educational Excellence contains information on how national space organizations, educational professionals, universities, and experts think about Space Policy and Good Governance. It also contains useful resources for the NSS Virtual spUn Debates in the form of journals, interviews, websites, and more.

Why is Space Policy and Good Governance Needed? Universalization...

As we witness the exponential investment in space development, exploration and security, we must pause to think collectively about the governance and sustainability of Earth as control extends into the universe. We need to prepare the next generation of citizens for this emerging field. We are experiencing a shift from globalization to ‘Universalization’ as this century’s paradigm.

Universalization asserts that we are living in ‘one world within the universe’ and that universal sustainability requires a cooperative and inclusive approach to development for the benefit of ALL. The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UN2030 Agenda) speaks to “a broad and universal policy agenda … devoting ourselves collectively to the pursuit of global development and of "win-win" cooperation which can bring huge gains to all countries and all parts of the world.” The core values of Universalization and the UN2030 Agenda are aligned and timely given the mounting pressures for effective governance of ‘universal’ issues.

Updated: August 2023

Contributor: Dr. L.J. Edmonds

How to Get Involved: Annual spUN Debate

The space policy and UNiversalization (spUN) Debates emerged from a conversation between NSS Director of Education Frances Dellutri and 14-year-old Indian students Apoorva B.R. and Souvik Mukherjee after attending the presentation by Dr. Lorna Jean Edmonds, Ohio University, “Do Those Who Control the Galaxy Control Earth: The Century of Universalization”. The spUN Debate Program forms teams of international students (ages 12 - 14) who learn about current laws and concerns in space development and expansion. It then gives them the opportunity to debate the ramifications of emerging policy in space industries and space utilization.

For more information on the spUN Debates and how to get involved, please visit the 2024 spUn Debate page

Interviews on Space Policy and Good Governance

As our civilization moves out into the solar system and beyond, will we be ready to govern ourselves in a way better than we have here on Earth? Space policy thinker, Lorna Jean Edmonds, shares her thoughts out space governance and universalization.

Journals

The Journal of Space Law is the world's oldest journal devoted to space law. The University of Mississippi has published the Journal of Space Law since 1973. The Journal was published under the leadership of the late Dr. Stephen Gorove from 1973 to 2000. The National Center for Remote Sensing, Air, and Space Law, has published it since 2003.

The Annals of Air and Space Law is a journal produced and published by the Institute and Centre of Air and Space Law, Faculty of Law, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

Videos and YouTube Channels

Who Owns Space? In this TedX Talk, Justine Kaznika emphasizes the critical role of law and policy in shaping (and preparing for) the privatization of space. She addresses public-private partnerships and cross-border relationships as critical ingredients for successful development of the commercial space industry.

Space Belongs to No One - Professor Von Der Dunk presents at PINC zinc on space law

Universalization Debate - International Space Development Conference, May 2018 - This debate is focused on the question of "whether universalization can promote global peace through cooperation." During the course of the debate, student teams (ages 12 - 14), discuss the future of space governance, the sustainability of humanity through cooperation, and the nature of space as the next frontier.

Crises Stability in Space: China and Other Challenges - So much has happened in the dynamic and rapidly evolving space domain of the past few years, and this timely panel moderated by Bruce MacDonald, SAIS adjunct professor, discusses SAIS Foreign Policy Institute's report Crisis Stability in Space: China and other Challenges. Contributions from ADM Dennis Blair (USN, Ret.), Brian Weeden, Victoria Samson, Dean Cheng, Karl Mueller, and Bruce MacDonald.

The Truth About Space Debris

YouTube Channels

TMRO Space News: is a weekly live show about humanity's exploration of the cosmos. With a focus on human space flight, this show looks at all of the new things happening on Earth and on orbit to help get the first boots on Mars.

SciShow Space: explores the universe a few minutes at a time. We share everything from just after the beginning of time to new innovations in space exploration. For the most recent space science, check out our new videos on @SciShow. And for young thinkers, visit SciShow Kids!

National Space Society Channel: to promote social, economic, technological, and political change in order to expand civilization beyond Earth, to settle space and to use the resulting resources to build a hopeful and prosperous future for humanity.

Articles

Article Title	Date	Author	Institution
Can Better Governance Help Space Lift Off?	2023	Giacomo Gatto and Alyssa Goessler	McKinsey
Appendix F, Personal Observations On The Reliability Of The Shuttle. Report of the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident, vol. 2, p. F5.	1986	Feynman, Richard P.	U.S. Government Printing Office.
Re-Examining Our Constitutional Heritage: A Declaration of First Principles for the Governance of Outer Space Societies	1988	George S. Robinson	Berkeley Technology Law Journal
Indian Space Policy 2023: India’s Space Diplomacy in the Global South	2023	Adithya A. Variath & Khooshi Mukhi	The Geopolitics
Outer Space: Problems of Policy and Law.	1994	Reynolds, Glenn H., and Robert P. Merges.	Boulder, CO: Westview Press,
The Ethics of Space Policy	2000	Pompidou, Alain, Co-ordinator.	New York: UNESCO.
Source Regions and Time Scales for the Delivery of Water to Earth	2000	Morbidelli, A.; J. Chambers; J. I. Lunine; et al.	Meteoritics & Planetary Science 35(6): 1309–1320.
What you may have missed in the New National Space Policy	2021	Michael Sinclaire	Brookings
Law Versus Power on the High Frontier: The Case for a Rule-Based Regime for Outer Space	2003	Nina Tannenwald	Watson Institute for International Studies Brown University
Tailoring Deterrence for China Space	2021	Krista Langeland, Derek Grossman
Anti-Astropolitik – outer space and the orbit of geography	2007	Fraser MacDonald*	Progress in Human Geography - School of Anthropology, Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
Establishing a Legal Framework for Property Rights to Natural Resources in Outer Space	2009	Sarah Coffey	Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law
Space security and the European Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities	2009	Wolfgang Rathgeber, Nina-Louisa Remuss and Kai-Uwe Schrogl	Kai-Uwe Schrogl is Director of the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI), Vienna, Austria. Wolfgang Rathgeber is a Research Fellow and Nina-Louisa Remuss is a Project Manager at ESPI.
European Space Governance: The Outlook	2011	A conference organized by Ifri and the Secure World Foundation Brussels	IFRI and the Secure World Foundation Brussels
SPACE SUSTAINABILITY Practical Guide	2014	Secure World Foundation	Secure World Foundation
China and space security: How to bridge the gap between its stated and perceived intentions	2014	Xiaodan Wu	Space Policy 33 (2015) 20e28
On the Design of an InternationalGovernance Framework for Geo-engineering	2014	Ian D. Lloyd and Michael Oppenheimer*	Global Environmental Politics
Forwarding Multilateral Space Governance: Next Steps for the International Community	2015	Theresa Hitchens	Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland - University of Maryland
MILITARY USE OF OUTER SPACE: INTERNATIONAL LEGAL PERSPECTIVES	2015	Rik Hansen, Jan Wouters & Philip De Man	Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies
Common benefit from a perspective of “Non-traditional Partners”: A proposed agenda to address the status quo in Global Space Governance	2015	Timiebi Aganaba-Jeanty	Acta Astronautica - Sponsored by the International Academy of Astronautics
The Evolution of U.S. National Policy for Addressing the Threat of Space Debris	2016	Brian C. Weedena	Secure World Foundation
“Habitable Zones around Main Sequence Stars.”	1993	Kasting, James F.; Daniel P. Whitmire; and Ray T. Reynolds.
CRISIS STABILITY IN SPACE	2016	Bruce W. MacDonald With ADM Dennis Blair (USN, Ret.), Dean Cheng, Karl Mueller, and Victoria Samson	The Foreign Policy Institute of The Johns Hopkins University’s
The Ethics of Outer Space: A Consequentialist Perspective	2016	Seth D. Baum	Global Catastrophic Risk Institute
CRISIS STABILITY IN SPACE CHINA AND OTHER CHALLENGES	2016	Bruce W. MacDonald With ADM Dennis Blair (USN, Ret.), Dean Cheng, Karl Mueller, and Victoria Samson	FOREIGN POLICY INSTITUTE STUDIES IN POLICY
Space Sustainability and the Freedom of OuterSpace	2016	Timiebi Aganaba-Jeanty	Astropolitics The International Journal of Space Politics & Policy
Space and Verification		Ambassador Roger G. Harrison EISENHOWER CENTER FOR SPACE AND DEFENSE STUDIES
Towards a World Space Agency		Lewis Pinault	UCL/Birkbeck Centre for Planetary Sciences, London, UK
OUTER SPACE: PROBLEMS OF LAW AND POLICY	1990	By Glenn H. Reynolds and Robert P. Merges.	Boulder: Westview Press
Space Resources, Common Property, and theCollective Action Problem	1997	Robert P. Merges - Berkeley Law Glenn H. Reynolds	Berkeley Law Scholarship Repository ENVIRONMENTAL LAW JOURNAL

“A Planetary Park System for Mars.”	2004	Cockell, C. S., and G. Horneck.	Space Policy 20: 291–295.
SOLAR POWER SATELLITES: THE RIGHT TO A SPOT INTHE WORLD’S HIGHEST PARKING LOT	2012	Aleksey Shtivelman*
The Ethical Dimensions of Space Settlement.		Fogg, Martyn J.	Icarus 101(1): 108–128.
China and Strategic Instability in Space: Pathways to Peace in an era of US-China Strategic Competition	2023
Universalization, The Interconnection of Outer Space Development and the UN 2030 SDGS: The 21st Century Leadership Imperative	2020
National Laws Governing Commercial Space Activities: Legislation, Regulation, & Enforcement	2016

Universities

List of Universities that have Space Policy, Governance, and Law programs

Universities	Program
University of California, San Francisco	UCSF has implemented Archibus, a new space management and inventory system for the campus that provides improved reporting and analytics to decision makers. The Medical Center and Campus are now using the same Space Management System. The project entailed extensive process redesign work to ensure UCSF has processes to maintain accurate space data. Click here for more details.
University of Mississippi School of Law	National Center for Remote Sensing, Air, and Space Law
Leiden University International Institute of Air & Space Law	International Institute of Air & Space Law - Netherlands
McGill University's Institute of Air and Space Law	Institute for Research in Air and Space Law
The George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs	Space Policy Institute
University of Melbourne (Australia)	The Centre for Resources, Energy and Environmental Law (CREEL)
The University of Cape Town	SPACE LAB
International Space University	Space Studies Program 2009
American Public University The International Space University	Online Master Of Science For Space Professionals ISU is the sole university worldwide devoted entirely to space education since 1987. Today, ISU is made up of a unique network around the world with a Central Campus in Strasbourg, with hubs in the USA and the AsiaPacific region, and partnerships with leading space organizations worldwide.

Treaties

"International treaties and conventions are formal agreements between two or more countries or international organizations that establish legal obligations and standards for behavior in the international system. These agreements cover a wide range of issues, including human rights, trade, environmental protection, disarmament, and more." - Planet of Law

Contribution from McGill University: Space Treaties and Conventions

Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies

Reports and Handbooks

Space Security Index 2017: Space Security Index 2017 is the fourteenth annual report on developments related to safety, sustainability, and security in outer space, covering the period JanuaryDecember 2016. It is part of the broader Space Security Index (SSI) project, which aims to improve transparency on space activities and provide a common, comprehensive, objective knowledge base to support the development of dialogue and policies that contribute to the security and sustainability of outer space.

UNIDIR 2022 Space Security Conference Report: This report provides a summary of UNIDIR’s Space Security Conference Series which has convened a wide range of stakeholders and actors in the space domain. UNIDIR’s 2022 Outer Space Security Conference (OS22) was held on 1 and 2 November 2022 both virtually and in-person at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. This two-day flagship event provided a unique forum for the diplomatic community and experts from military, industrial and academic backgrounds to jointly consider challenges and solutions related to security in outer space.

United Nations Office of for Outer Space Affairs Documents and Resolutions Database

A Handbook for New Actors in Space:The handbook is intended to reach two categories of new actors in space: States developing national space policies and regulations; and start-up companies, universities, and other non-governmental entities beginning their first foray into space activities. The goal of the handbook is to provide both groups with a broad overview of the fundamental principles, laws, norms, and best practices for peaceful, safe, and responsible activities in space.

UN Office of Outer Space, Space Law Curriculum: A curriculum developed by a group of distinguished educators and experts on space law, in consultation with the Directors and Secretary-General of the regional centers. The development process was coordinated by the Office for Outer Space Affairs.

Insight - African Perspectives on the Space Resources Dialogue

Experts in Space Governance and Policy

Stephen Hawking	Theoretical physicist	https://www.ted.com/speakers/stephen_hawking
Prof. Dr. Frans G. von der Dunk	Space Lawyer	http://www.iislweb.org/bio/Bio-dunk.pdf
David A. Welch	Senior Fellow & Chair of Globl Security in Center of International Governance Innovation.	https://www.cigionline.org/person/david-welch
Marcia Smith	founder and editor of SpacePolicyOnline.com and President of Space and Technology Policy Group, LLC (SpaceTech). Previously she was Director of the Space Studies Board and of the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board at the U.S.	http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/contributors/marcia-smith
Leonard David	Space journalist, reporting on space activities for over 50 years.	http://www.leonarddavid.com/leonard-david-bio/
John M. Logsdon	esearch interests focus on the policy and historical aspects of U.S. and international space activities. He is author of the award-winning John F. Kennedy and the Race to the Moon (2010) and After Apollo? Richard Nixon and the American Space Program (2015)	https://spi.elliott.gwu.edu/
Dr. James A. Vedda	Dr. James Vedda has been with the Aerospace Corporation in Arlington, Virginia since March 2004 performing policy research and analyses for various U.S. government customers	http://www.thespaceshow.com/guest/dr.-james-.-vedda

Related Organizations

American Astronomical Society (AAS):A major international organization of professional astronomers, astronomy educators, and amateur astronomers focused on enhancing and sharing humanity's scientific understanding of the universe as as diverse and inclusive astronomical community.

Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF): The leading voice for the commercial spaceflight industry focused on laying the foundation for a sustainable space economy and democratizing access to space.

Secure World Foundation: An endowed, private operating foundation that promotes cooperative solutions for Space sustainability and the peaceful uses of outer space.

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA): The worlds largest technical society dedicated to the global aerospace profession, focused on igniting and celebrating aerospace ingenuity and collaboration.

The International Academy of Astronautics (IAA): An independent non-government organization recognized by the United Nations focused on fostering the development of astronautics for peaceful purposes, recognizing individuals who have distinguished themselves in a branch of science or technology related to astronautics, and promoting international cooperation in the advancement of aerospace science.

The National Space Society (NSS): the preeminent citizens voice on space exploration, development, and settlement.

The Space Settlement Institute: A non-profit association founded to help promote the human colonization and settlement of outer space.

United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA): works to promote international cooperation in the peaceful use and exploration of space, and in the utilization of space science and technology for sustainable economic and social development.

Conferences

International Space Development Conference (ISDC) - An annual conference of the National Space Society that brings together NSS leaders and members with leading managers, engineers, scientists, educators, and businessmen from civilian, military, commercial, entrepreneurial, and grassroots advocacy space sectors.

Cybrary

Websites:

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