Responsible Space Exploration and Use: Balancing Stakeholder Interests

Abstract

Abstract

Despite the worldwide economic downturn, many space-faring nations are planning space missions and architectures to explore the Moon, near-Earth asteroids (NEAs), and Mars in the coming decades. Most of these plans are focused on robotic exploration, but some also include human endeavors extending beyond the International Space Station and low Earth orbit. Looking ahead, the space exploration arena is clearly changing. In the not-too-distant future, space activities are likely to include a significant increase in numbers of nations, partnerships, and commercial and private ventures planning missions that go beyond traditional exploration. Already, space entrepreneurs have announced ambitious plans such as roving and mining on the Moon; harvesting resources on NEAs; and preparing for human travel and establishing outposts on the Moon and Mars. This raises questions of how to ensure that exploration and use are conducted in responsible and balanced ways. There is a growing need to establish more comprehensive regulations governing these activities. In this article, we discuss and compare the main international treaties that govern Antarctica, the oceans, and celestial bodies, as well as the physical, institutional, and ethical concerns raised by various stakeholders. We analyze terrestrial environmental management strategies of the Antarctic Treaty System and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and highlight their implications for considering ways to deal with increased exploration and commercial ventures that target the use of celestial bodies. The pathway toward the adoption of an international environmental regime for space exploration will be undoubtedly a stepwise approach as the current ambitions and plans of governments, commercial ventures, and the private sector materialize and diversify.