The Business of Space

Given the steadily increasing role of commercial actors in international space activities, are there possibilities for commercial stakeholders to participate in the development of space norms beyond safety and sustainability in peacetime, including into situations involving hostile action?

Technological progress in spacecraft life extension, debris removal, space operations autonomy, and robotics will disrupt the traditional paradigm of spacecraft design, acquisition, launch, operations, and maintenance. A new generation of spacecraft designed specifically for In-space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) is leading this charge towards a new space economy.

Given the fact that little scientific attention has been paid to the impacts of rocket launches and space debris reentries on global climate and stratospheric ozone, what information will policymakers need in the future to make effective regulatory decisions regarding industrial emissions and fossil fuel use?