Plus: A framework for governing space in all its complexity
By Dan Robitzski
Welcome back to our weekly newsletter highlighting the opinions and perspectives of the SpaceNews community.
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When a discarded SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage crashed into the moon a few weeks ago, it ultimately had little consequence, but raised and reignited conversations around responsible stewardship of space — and how to make sure future crashes don't jeopardize any long-term human or robotic operations on the moon.
One argument comes from Therese Jones, research manager at the European Space Policy Institute. She wrote an opinion article to describe how these crash landings might be mitigated in the absence of broad, international legal frameworks or agreements that will likely take years to coordinate.
"Despite a lack of momentum toward a new legal framework, there are substantial mechanisms that can be taken now to mitigate harm from cislunar activity," Jones wrote. "International standards and technical bodies are key to encourage coordination, particularly with the inclusion of China and Russia in organizations such as the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordinating Committee, International Standards Organization, Consultative Committee on Space Data Systems and International Space Exploration Coordination Group."
Read the rest of the SpaceNews commentary here |
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Properly governing space will require adaptive frameworks that account for the complexity of current and future activities. And while recent United States policy documents take a step in the right direction, there's still room to improve, according to a perspective article by M.C. Sungaila, a partner in the Complex Appellate Litigation Group and an adjunct professor of Space Law and Policy at Loyala Marymount University's Loyola Law School.
"To effectively manage complex systems like space and space law, and to iterate and adapt effectively, we need a framework to help define constraints and boundaries that leave room for the system’s actors to improvise as new developments and possibilities arise," Sungaila wrote.
See the full perspective article here.
SpaceNews is committed to publishing our community’s diverse perspectives. Whether you’re an academic, executive, engineer or even just a concerned citizen of the cosmos, send your arguments and viewpoints to opinion (at) spacenews.com to be considered for publication online or in our next magazine. If you have something to submit, read some of our recent opinion articles and our submission guidelines to get a sense of what we’re looking for. The perspectives shared in these opinion articles are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent their employers or professional affiliations. |
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