Proposed Policies to Guide Activities in Space and on the Surface of Extraterrestrial Bodies

Abstract

Future human and robotic exploration missions into the solar system have been given the goal of reaching the surface of celestial bodies and surviving for long durations. Guidelines governing the activities during these missions must be established to ensure the safety of the explorers and protection of the environment, while at the same time promoting colonization, international cooperation, and commercial business. The United Nations has developed a series of treaties and principles to attempt to institute these guidelines. However, these treaties are too limited in scope and focus on restricting activities in space and on celestial bodies. New and updated legislation should be created to both limit activities perceived as damaging while simultaneously encouraging economic expansion. Though outdated and fundamentally flawed, the United Nations Outer Space Treaty contains a number of provisions that can be used to form the core of the new policy. Five new provisions that address environmental protection and economic expansion are proposed to be added to the current Space Treaty. The Law of the Sea, another United Nations agreement, is a proposed basis as a second option for space legislation. The rights and responsibilities outlined in the Law of the Sea are widely accepted outside the United States and can easily be adapted to govern activities on other celestial bodies. The final proposed legislation is an entirely new and unified approach allowing the countries actively participating in space exploration to begin again. This policy provides the opportunity to have a new agreement that supports a modern approach to developing the space infrastructure and economy. Each proposed policy contains several obstacles that will require international cooperation to successfully implement. Given the time required to draft, sign, and ratify the Outer Space Treaty and Law of the Sea, discussions for new legislation need to commence long before future missions are on the launch pad.