The Final Frontier of Global Society and the Evolution of Space Governance

Abstract

This chapter discusses the impact of space exploration and utilization on global society and globalization. Globalization, with its cross-border interconnection, interdependence, and engagement, increases the need for supra-national regulation, i.e. global governance. The chapter, therefore, continues with a review of global space governance and how it evolves over time. Space applications have revolutionized communication and transportation, facilitating the interconnections that drive globalization. The original monocentric system of space governance is stagnating since the 1970s and fails to keep up with the technological, and commercial developments. The only way forward is by the evolution of separate, issue-specific governance centers and legal instruments (regimes), conforming to common basic principles. Thus, the issue of militarization will have a separate forum and legal instruments that conforms to the Outer Space Treaty. Together, these regimes will incrementally build a decentralized – and updated – space governance. In fact, space governance is already on track to become decentralized. Looking down the road, space habitation will be the most important spatial expansion since humans spread from Africa, with implications also to those left behind on Earth. And if the ongoing search for extra-terrestrial intelligence ever results in detection, it will affect our lives and cognition.

Keywords: globalization, space law, space governance, global governance, decentralized governance