Reforming Space Governance for Global Stability
Why International Governance of Space?
On May 13, 2025, the Satellite Industry Association’s 28th annual State of the Satellite Report, highlighting rapid growth in the commercial satellite industry, with the number of satellites in orbit increasing from 3,371 in 2020 to 11,539 by the end of 2024—nearly a 400 percent rise [1]. With the rapid development of satellites, a spike in satellite-based defense spending for national security purposes is inevitable, and following this, international tensions are likely to rise. Underscoring that a stronger international governing body of space is imperative to facilitate cooperative interactions.
Beginnings of Space Law
The foundation of space law is built upon the 1967 Outer Space Treaty (OST), negotiated nearly 60 years ago [2]. The treaty declares that all states have a right to access space and that celestial bodies are to be used for peaceful purposes, forbids the placement of weapons of mass destruction, and holds states accountable for their actions [3]. At the time of its drafting, space was largely the domain of two major actors: the United States and the Soviet Union [4]. The treaty reflected the geopolitical realities and technological limitations of the time, which now stand outdated. The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) exists as the primary body for space governance [5]. However, UNOOSA functions more as a forum than as a governing body and lacks mechanisms to promote the implementation of space law.
Space & Sea | Global Commons
To formulate a solution, we must analyze existing frameworks of the most comparable territory: the sea. The sea is treated as a global “commons” which are spaces and resources that are collectively managed by and for all [6]. Governance of the sea is based on its classification as a commons, and space should be regarded in the same manner. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is the central governing body of maritime affairs focused on enforcing compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a treaty establishing a legal framework for all marine and maritime activities [7]. The first step toward a more viable solution is reassessing the OST, and taking inspiration from UNCLOS to serve as a model. While UNCLOS outlines specific laws and consequences, enforced by the IMO, the OST provides guidelines for peaceful cooperation rather than enforceable laws and regulations.
Strengthening the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
The second aspect would be the strengthening and restructuring of UNOOSA. The IMO holds legal authority over states as a specialized agency of the UN that adopts binding international conventions that carry legal weight for member states that ratify them [8]. However, UNOOSA is a subsection of the office UN Secretariat and a body of the General Assembly [9]. Due to this, UNOOSA holds no legislative power and instead acts as a guiding force for states. The key issue is that given the rapidly shifting space sector, violations of space law and norms are likely to occur. With no overarching legal authority, states have no incentive to comply with UNOOSA. Thus, UNOOSA should be established as a specialized agency with legal authority, similar to that of the IMO.
Space exploration is expanding at an unprecedented rate, driven by both private innovation and strategic national interests. With the rapid commercialization and militarization of space, the absence of a legally binding and enforceable framework presents significant risks to global security. Establishing a concrete international framework is not merely about the management of space, it is about safeguarding global stability and redefining the future of international affairs.
References:
Satellite Industry Association, “Historic Number of Launches Powers Commercial Satellite Industry Growth,” Satellite Industry Association, May 13, 2025.
Audrey Schaffer, “Strengthening the International Governance of Space,” Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), 2024, https://www.csis.org/analysis/strengthening-international-governance-space.
“The International Community Is Not Prepared for a Future in Space,” The Space Review, https://www.thespacereview.com/article/4642/1.
NASA, “The 1960s: From Dream to Reality in 10 Years,” NASA, March 29, 2023, https://www.nasa.gov/history/the-1960s-from-dream-to-reality-in-10-years/.
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), “UNOOSA,” https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/index.html.
Jessica Silber-Byrne, “The Commons: More than Just Resources,” University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, February 25, 2024, https://seas.umich.edu/news/commons-more-just-resources.
United Nations, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982, https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf.
International Maritime Organization, “International Maritime Organization,” IMO, 2019, https://www.imo.org/.
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), “UNOOSA,” https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/index.html.
